The impact of residual CVD risk in the managed care setting.

Pharmacoeconomic modeling studies based on real-world data from large managed care databases have been used to describe the potential effects on both cardiovascular event reduction and healthcare costs by achieving optimal lipid values. Using baseline lipid values and product labeling information, pharmacoeconomic models estimate that lipid targets are achieved more frequently with extended-release niacin/simvastatin combination therapy than with increased statin dosage. These modeling studies also estimate that extended-release niacin/simvastatin combination therapy, which modifies all lipid parameters, would reduce direct medical costs of coronary heart disease events more effectively than would high-dose statin monotherapy.