Economic benefits of amlodipine treatment in patients with coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the potential savings in overall cardiovascular disease (CVD) treatment costs for the US population with coronary artery disease (CAD) resulting from the use of amlodipine.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Using patient-level data from a retrospective analysis of the Prospective Evaluation of the Vascular Effects of Norvasc Trial (PREVENT), a randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial (n = 825), we constructed a Markov cohort simulation model to estimate the health economic outcomes of patients with CAD treated with either amlodipine or placebo.

PERSPECTIVE

Healthcare payer perspective.

RESULTS

The expected number of CVD events for amlodipine recipients was significantly lower than the number of CVD events in the placebo cohort (p < 0.01). The net present value of the cost per patient for CVD treatment was estimated to be $US14 117 for amlodipine recipients and $US16 683 (1999 values, assuming a 3% discount rate) for placebo recipients over 3 years of follow-up with cost savings realised in the amlodipine cohorts after 6 months.

CONCLUSIONS

According to the model, amlodipine results in an expected per patient cost savings of $US2566 over a 3-year period, mainly due to a reduction in hospitalisations for cardiovascular-related events and procedures.