The effect of hip replacement on prescribing of NSAIDs, ulcer healing drugs and hospitalization--a matched cohort study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the impact of total hip replacement on prescribing of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), ulcer healing drugs (UHDs) and hospitalization.


METHODS
Observational matched cohort study.


RESULTS
There were 282 subjects in the hip replacement cohort and 1691 in the comparator cohort. Dispensing of NSAIDs fell from 89% to 57% after hip replacement but increased from 36% to 39% in comparators. Dispensing of UHDs fell from 33% to 30% after hip replacement but increased from 16% to 23% in the comparators. Hospitalization for upper gastrointestinal events fell from 2.5% to 1.8% after hip replacement but increased from 1.4% to 1.7% in comparators. Hospitalization for other causes increased from 32% to 42% after hip replacement compared with 25% to 28% in comparators.


CONCLUSIONS
Hip replacement is associated with reduced prescribing of NSAIDs and UHDs. However, any effect on GI admissions will be small compared with increased hospitalization for other causes.
Davey
P G
PG
Medicines Monitoring, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee DD1 9SY, Scotland. peter@dundee.ac.uk
McMahon
A D
AD
Barbone
F
F
Gillespie
W G
WG
Rizvi
K A
KA
MacDonald
T M
TM