The Dutch cohort of sildenafil users: baseline characteristics.
OBJECTIVE
To identify a Dutch cohort of sildenafil users and describe their baseline characteristics.


METHODS
Each pharmacy in The Netherlands (n = 1571) was asked to identify prospectively the first 20 sildenafil prescriptions in their pharmacy over 1 year, and to complete and return a registration form. The collected data included patient characteristics, the details of the sildenafil prescription (date, prescriber, number of prescriptions, dosing), and the use of co-medication by the patient in the year preceding the sildenafil prescription.


RESULTS
Data were collected from 4460 sildenafil prescriptions during the year under study, relating to 3477 individual patients. Most of the cohort had cardiovascular morbidity or diabetes. Sildenafil seems to have been used by a new, previously untreated population of patients with erectile dysfunction. In addition, 69 men were identified who could have been using nitrates and sildenafil concomitantly.


CONCLUSIONS
A cohort of patients using sildenafil was identified and characterized; they appeared to be representative of sildenafil users in The Netherlands. This cohort will be followed prospectively to evaluate the medical status (particularly cardiovascular) of the patients with time.
Souverein
P C
PC
Department of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacotherapy, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands. p.c.souverein@pharm.uu.nl
Egberts
A C
AC
Sturkenboom
M C
MC
Meuleman
E J
EJ
Leufkens
H G
HG
Urquhart
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011687:Purines; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013450:Sulfones
D000925:Anticoagulants; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D010879:Piperazines; D011687:Purines; D013450:Sulfones; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate