Prevalence and costs of parkinsonian syndromes associated with orthostatic hypotension.

Objective: To measure the frequency of and direct costs related to parkinsonian syndromes associated with orthostatic hypotension (OH).

Patients/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.