[Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs prescription in General Practice setting: 435 does informatics have any influence?].
OBJECTIVE
In the ambulatory setting of General Practice/Family Medicine, a retrospective, observational study was carried out to ascertain variation on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs prescription, in an informatics environment where name (brand or chemical), size of package, price and the existence of generic medicines is available.


METHODS
Observational transversal study conducted in February 2008 with no prescription study warning given to the doctors in the study period. The differences in volume prescription in Daily Defined Dose (DDD) per registered patient in the middle of 2006 and 2007 two semesters, as well as the value of prescription measured by the price per registered patient were calculated and medicines were studied by the third level of the Portuguese medicines classification very similar to the ATC. The price per DDD was calculated as well.


RESULTS
DDD volume and value declined throughout the study comparing entire years or semesters being "Oxicans" the only exception. Even though, the net volume and value decreased between 2006 and 2007 comparing both semesters of 2006 and of 2007. Price per DDD decreased for all medicines except for oxicans with an increase from the first to the second semesters of 2007.


CONCLUSIONS
Informatics environment influences the prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, reducing the number of DDD and the price per registered patient.
Santiago
Luiz Miguel
LM
Centro de Saúde de Eiras, ARS do Centro, Coimbra, Portugal. luiz.santiago@srscoimbra.min-saude.pt
Marques
Margarida
M
Martins
Dina
D
Rosendo
Inês
I
Pimenta
Gonçalo
G
Santos
Tiago
T
Constantino
Liliana
L
Neto
Glória
G
Francisco
Maria Dos
MD
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004360:Drug Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000191:economics; D005194:Family Practice; D006801:Humans; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal