Evaluating the cost of drugs used in the outpatient treatment of chronic pain.
OBJECTIVE
Chronic pain is very prevalent and the cost of its treatment can cause a relevant impact on people and society. The objective of this study was to evaluate the monthly cost of drugs used in the outpatient treatment of chronic pain.


METHODS
In the present study the cost of the drugs used by 233 patients with chronic pain (117 with nociceptive pain, 59 with neuropathic pain, and 57 with mixed pain) followed at the Alpha Center of UNIFESP between January 2004 and January 2008 was evaluated.


RESULTS
The mean general cost was R$ 127.74 (from R$ 5.00 to R$ 780.00).


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed that the cost of the drugs does not differ significantly taking into consideration the type of pain.
Vlainich
Roberto
R
Anesthesiology, Pain, and Intensive Care Department of Escola Paulista de Medicina da Universidade Federal de São Paulo, SP.
Zucchi
Paola
P
Issy
Adriana Machado
AM
Sakata
Rioko Kimiko
RK
D000553:Ambulatory Care; D000700:Analgesics / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000700:Analgesics