Excess costs related to non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug utilization ingeneral practice

Data concerning the reasons for consultation and the use of NSAIDs were col lected in 4643 patients, seen by 126 GPs over 2 days' consultation. In all, 11.6 per cent took NSAIDs. They were older (49 vs. 46 years, p = 0.02), to ok more drugs (3 vs. 2.5, p < 0.01), and more had ADRs (8 vs 2 per cent) th an non-users, even after correction for age, sex and number of drugs taken. Some 33 per cent of NSAID users also took adjuvant medication for the prev ention of gastric injury (including with COX-2 inhibitors meloxicam, nimesu lide). Estimated excess costs associated with NSAID use were high, related to excess consultations (GP or specialist, for ADRs, approx. 5-8 million Eu ros per year in France) and to use of preventive medication (100 million Eu ros per year at least).