Metamizole use among Hispanics in Miami: report of a survey conducted in a primary care setting.
BACKGROUND
Metamizole (dipyrone) is a myelotoxic, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent that has been banned from the US market since 1979. However, dipyrone may be purchased in some areas of the US. We conducted a survey in a primary care setting in Miami, Florida to determine the prevalence of metamizole possession and use among Hispanics living in this area.


METHODS
Participants consisted of 137 Hispanic outpatients interviewed consecutively during a primary care visit in the month of February 2005.


RESULTS
Metamizole was possessed by 28% of the surveyed population. The most common reasons for using dipyrone were pain (72%) and fever (24%). The vast majority of patients had purchased the medication in Latin America (95%), in most instances without a prescription (95%). Nineteen patients (13%) had used the medication during the previous year.


CONCLUSIONS
Metamizole is available to Latino immigrants who reside in the US, despite the FDA ban imposed in 1977.
Garcia
Santiago
S
Department of Medicine, University of Miami Leonard Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA. Agarcia7@med.miami.edu
Canoniero
Mariana
M
Lopes
Gilberto
G
Soriano
Andrés Omar
AO
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004177:Dipyrone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000188:drug therapy; D005431:Florida; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004177:Dipyrone