Healthy Skepticism Library item: 10475
Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.
Publication type: Journal Article
Lampl C, Buzath A, Yazdi K, Sandor PS.
Ergot and triptan overuse in Austria--an evaluation of clinical data and cost.
Cephalalgia 2002 Dec; 22:(10):807-11
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1468-2982.2002.00442.x
Abstract:
Austria is one of the countries, in which ergots are still the most commonly used acute anti-migraine drugs. Overuse and chronification is a clinical problem for ergots, but also for the recently developed triptans. In a retrospective study for the year 1999 we evaluated clinical data from all Austrian neurological hospitals including cost of withdrawal as well as the estimated cost for ergots and triptans on the pharmaceutical retail market. We identified a total of 96 patients that underwent withdrawal, all of whom because of ergot overuse, and some with considerable long-term side-effects. The cost of withdrawal (more than 1300 000) together with direct cost of medication amounted to more than 11 million. In contrast, cost of medication for triptans was 12.8 million for the same year, without any cost for withdrawal. If only cost aspects were to be considered in the prescription of acute anti-migraine drugs, our data would suggest to choose ergots rather than triptans. However, as scientific evidence is clearly in favour of triptans, decision making for the prescribing clinicians is more complex and will primarily focus on optimizing patient care, but also depend on the respective socio-economic situation.
Keywords:
Adult
Aged
Austria/epidemiology
Ergot Alkaloids/adverse effects*
Ergot Alkaloids/economics*
Ergot Alkaloids/therapeutic use
Female
Headache/drug therapy
Headache/economics
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Oxazolidinones/adverse effects
Oxazolidinones/economics
Oxazolidinones/therapeutic use
Retrospective Studies
Substance Withdrawal Syndrome/drug therapy
Substance Withdrawal Syndrome/economics*
Substance-Related Disorders/economics
Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology
Sumatriptan/adverse effects*
Sumatriptan/economics*
Sumatriptan/therapeutic use
Tryptamines
