Economic Considerations in the Management of Arthritis

Abstract

iatroge.nic disease in patients with arthri- tis is substantial. In a population of Medicaid recipients, 25% of patients taking nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAlDs) experienced side effects that required further medical care. The costs of treating these side effects were accounted for primarily by drugs (42%) and physician visits (20%). However, hospitalization for complications, such as gastrointestinal (GO bleeding, per- foration, or obstruction, although un- common, accounted for 38% of iatro-