A Review of Fatalities Reported as Associated with NSAID Treatment in Ontario.

This article reviews reports of 61 deaths associated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These fatalities occurred in Ontario, between February 1, 1981 and January 1, 1986. The average age of these patients at death was 78.6 years, and 59% were female. One or more gastro-intestinal hemorrhages preceded death in 48 patients (79%), and perforation of ulcers with peritonitis and shock were reported in five cases. Other reports indicated that edema and renal failure had occurred in three patients, and bone-marrow depression in another three. The NSAIDs most frequently implicated in these deaths were piroxicam and naproxen, but without data on the numbers of patients taking the various NSAIDs, no conclusions can be drawn about the relative frequencies of severe reactions.