Cost analysis of oral antihypertensive agents available in Nepal

Abstract

Introduction: Hypertension is one of the major causes of morbidity, mortality hence requires lifelong treatment. There is a wide range of variation in the prices of antihypertensive drugs marketed in Nepal. Thus, a study was planned to find out variations in prices of the oral antihypertensive drugs available either singly or in combination and number of manufacturing companies for each, also to evaluate the difference in cost of different brands of same drug by calculating percentage variation of cost. Methods: Cost of a particular drug being manufactured by different companies, in the same strength and dosage forms was obtained from "Nepalese Innovation of Drug and Disease" January 2015 and drug price list of various pharmaceuticals companies in Nepal. The difference in the maximum and minimum price of the same drug manufactured by different pharmaceutical companies and percentage variation in price was calculated. Results: Percentage price variation of the commonly used drugs found was enalapril (5 mg): 5300.00% enalpril (2.5 mg): 4150.00%, amlodipine (5 mg): 962.50%, Nifedipine(20mg): 794.11%. Among the combination therapy, amlodipine + atenolol (5+ 50 mg): 418.00%, amlodipine + atenolol (5+ 25 mg) 269.31%, losartan + hydrochlorothiazide (50+ 12.5 mg): 188,46%, atenolol + chlorthalidone (100 + 25 mg): 150.00% variation. Conclusion: There is wide variation in the prices of oral antihypertensive agents available in Nepalese market. Regulatory authorities pharma companies, physicians should maximize their efforts to reduce the cost of drug