PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 263 - 20 May 2000

NSAID-related adverse eventscostly

Treatment with NSAIDs can result in substantialadditional costs related to the prophylaxis, evaluationand treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) adverse events,say researchers based in Canada and the US.*

Using prescription claims data for 73 850 patientsaged ≥ 65 years over a 2-year period (1994–1995), theresearchers found that for each dollar spent on NSAIDs,an additional $Can0.66 was spent on the prevention andtreatment of NSAID-related GI events.**

The mean total direct cost of GI events over the 2-yearstudy period was estimated at $Can134.30 amongNSAID users (n = 5268) compared with $Can86.83among paracetamol [acetaminophen] users (2245). Thestudy showed that the risk of a GI event for patients whostarted on NSAID therapy was about twice as high asthat for patients who started on paracetamol therapy.* The study was supported by Merck & Company, Inc. One of theresearchers was affiliated with that company.** The study was conducted from the perspective of the healthcaresystem. Costs included those associated with gastroprotective agents,pharmacist fees, physician visits, GI diagnostic tests and GIhospitalisations.

Rahme E, et al. Gastrointestinal health care resource use and costs associated withnonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs versus acetaminophen: retrospective cohortstudy of an elderly population. Arthritis and Rheumatism 43: 917-924, Apr2000 800826575

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PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 20 May 2000 No. 2631173-5503/10/0263-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved