title: Prevalence and costs of parkinsonian syndromes associated with orthostatic hypotension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure the frequency of and direct costs related to parkinsonian syndromes associated with orthostatic hypotension (OH).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients over 45 years using at least one antiparkinsonian drug (excluding piribedil or anticholinergics prescribed alone) were identified from the Haute-Garonne Social Security prescription database and separated in two groups according to simultaneous prescription (OH group) or not (control group) of drugs for orthostatic hypotension. Direct medical costs were analysed retrospectively, over a 6-month period, from the health care payer's perspective.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-eight patients (9.1%) out of 971 parkinsonian also received antihypotensive drugs. Direct medical costs were significantly higher in OH than in control group (4.425 vs. 3.074 Euro/patient/6 months, p < 0.05). Beside hospitalisation and ancillary cares, drugs accounted for highest expenses (989 vs. 781 Euro/patient/6 months in control group) since use of controlled-release levodopa formulations or dopamine agonists was higher in OH group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Occurrence of OH is associated with higher medical expenditure in parkinsonian syndromes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Pharmacologie Médicale et Clinique, INSERM U586, Faculté de Médecine, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Desboeuf
authors.forename: Maryse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grau
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Riche
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fradin
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bez
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Montastruc
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Senard
mesh_terms: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017281:Cost of Illness; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000191:economics; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D007024:Hypotension, Orthostatic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents