Daily Cost Of Therapy Research Articles

Vitamin A-containing dietary supplements from German and US online pharmacies: market and risk assessment.

Vitamin A supplements are used by many people, and the number of newly registered dietary supplements is continuously increasing. The preparations fall under food law and are not subject to the strict controls of pharmaceuticals. Risk indications and maximum quantity recommendations, e.g., from the Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are not binding, which means that overdoses and potentially serious health problems can easily occur. The hepatotoxicity and teratogenicity of vitamin A are well documented, and other negative effects of high doses of vitamin A are also being discussed. Nevertheless, preparations with exorbitantly high doses are freely available for sale and unrestricted. In this study, 75 supplements containing vitamin A available in Germany and 26 available in the USA were critically examined on the basis of various parameters such as the recommended daily dose according to the manufacturer, daily therapy costs (DTC), the presence of warnings about overdose, use during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and information on adverse effects/interactions. The aim was to gain insights into their risk potential and to examine the need for closer monitoring and stricter guidelines for these preparations. The results show some considerable country-specific differences. Overall, there are serious deficiencies in compliance with the labeling requirements for both the German and the US preparations, and the dosages are often far too high in view of the applicable expert recommendations. Overall, these deficits can pose a risk for consumers that is difficult to assess in its entirety, especially for vulnerable consumer groups. It should be noted that the US preparations perform better overall than the German preparations. This suggests better regulation of dietary supplements in the US market. Based on the available data and literature research, it is doubtful whether the intake of vitamin A-containing preparations, without a diagnosed vitamin A deficiency, has a positive health benefit. Furthermore, it should be examined whether vitamin A should continue to be offered over-the-counter as a food supplement.

The patients' cost of the montelukast therapy due to the generic substitution

The aim of our study was to analyse the public price of the montelukast sodium therapy in Hungary. Data derived from the nationwide pharmaceutical database of the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration. We observed the turnover and price of the medicaments containing the active substance montelukast sodium from 2007 to 2015. Accordingly, our indicators were: consumer price, DCT (daily cost of therapy), co-payment, quasi co-payment, DOT (days of treatment). Due to the increasing DOT, the total amount of the public price paid by the patients increased until 2011, reaching the amount of 1 million USD; then, due to the generic competition and the blind bid methods, it decreased to 490 000 USD. The total amount of the public price of the brand-name Singulair moved to the generics during 3 years (2011-2014). The DCT of the originator Singulair 10 mg tablets decreased from 1.1 USD to 0.34 USD; the DCT of the generic product Montelukast TEVA decreased from 0.67 USD to 0.16 USD in the period under review. Due to the generic competition, the patients' access to drugs containing montelukast sodium increased significantly: the DOT increased, the co-payment decreased. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(17): 682-687.

Drivers of expenditure on primary care prescription drugs in 10 high-income countries with universal health coverage

Managing expenditures on pharmaceuticals is important for health systems to sustain universal access to necessary medicines. We sought to estimate the size and sources of differences in expenditures on primary care medications among high-income countries with universal health care systems. We compared data on the 2015 volume and cost per day of primary care prescription drug therapies purchased in 10 high-income countries with various systems of universal health care coverage (7 from Europe, in addition to Australia, Canada and New Zealand). We measured total per capita expenditure on 6 categories of primary care prescription drugs: hypertension treatments, pain medications, lipid-lowering medicines, noninsulin diabetes treatments, gastrointestinal preparations and antidepressants. We quantified the contributions of 5 drivers of the observed differences in per capita expenditures. Across countries, the average annual per capita expenditure on the primary care medicines studied varied by more than 600%: from $23 in New Zealand to $171 in Switzerland. The volume of therapies purchased varied by 41%: from 198 days per capita in Norway to 279 days per capita in Germany. Most of the differences in average expenditures per capita were driven by a combination of differences in the average mix of drugs selected within therapeutic categories and differences in the prices paid for medicines prescribed. Significant international differences in average expenditures on primary care medications are driven primarily by factors that contribute to the average daily cost of therapy, rather than differences in the volume of therapy used. Average expenditures were lower among single-payer financing systems that appeared to promote lower prices and the selection of lower-cost treatment options.

Medication Adherence, Persistence and Cost in Multiple Sclerosis Patients: Oral vs Parenteral Treatment

The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the medication adherence of MS patients to oral and parenteral self-administration therapy. The secondary outcome was to study how the adherence varies respect of the length of treatment and calculate the daily cost of therapy. The adherence was evaluated by the ratio between the Received Daily Dose (RDD) and the Prescribed Daily Dose (PDD); the persistence to treatment was plotted with the Kaplan Meier method. The daily cost of theraphy was calculated as cost per RDD. The adherence in function of time was calculated using 30 days intervals. The average adherence values were 0.91 for Avonex, 0.81 for Rebif®, 0.83 for Betaferon®, 0.81 for Extavia®, 0.90 for Copaxone®, 0.89 for Gilenya®, 0.83 for Aubagio®. The persistence on 3 years of therapy was 64% for Rebif®, 62% for Betaferon®, 58% for Gilenya®, 48% for Copaxone®, 45% for Avonex. As regards the variation of adherence in function of time, it shows up that after a year of treatment, the adherence values was stabilized at about 0.9 for Gilenya®, Copaxone® and Avonex, and between 0.8 and 0.85 for Rebif®, Betaferon® and Extavia®. The cost of the daily treatment ranges from a minimum of € 13.66 for Betaferon® to a maximum of 44 € for Gilenya®. The comparison of oral therapy and the injection one showed no significant differences, underlining that in the case of Multiple Sclerosis, oral formulation does not represent a parameter in favour of the adherence to treatment. To equal levels of adherence it is not justifiable the higher cost of fingolimod compared to all other analysed treatments.

Evolving techniques for negative pressure wound therapy and the value of grass roots comparative effectiveness research.

160 Background: There is debate over the value of comparative effectiveness research to address national health problems, but less attention has focused on its value to solve smaller questions. We present an example of local, clinician initiated, and unfunded comparative effectiveness research to address problems related to negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) at our hospital. NPWT was popularized as the VAC (Vacuum Assisted Closure, Kinetic Concepts, Inc., San Antonio, TX) system and became standard treatment for many inpatient wounds. Between 2000 and 2006, VAC was the only form of NPWT at our hospital. When it became apparent that VAC therapy was costly, and painful, clinicians tried an alternative method using wall suction and gauze (GSUC). In 2007 and 2008 a randomized prospective trial showed the techniques were equally effective while GSUC was less painful and less costly. After the trial, we tracked the frequency of VAC and GSUC use, as well as the cost of NPWT. Methods: From 2000 to 2011, 3,184 inpatients required NPWT; demographics, the method of treatment, and associated costs were recorded prospectively. Data from 2000 – 2006, when only VAC was available, was compared to data from 2009 – 2011, when both VAC and GSUC were available. Results: Between 2000 and 2006, all patients (N=1,746) were treated using the standard VAC. After 2008, fewer patients were treated using the VAC compared to GSUC: 21 (2%) vs 907 (98%), p=0.001. Between 2000 and 2006, the daily cost of therapy with VAC was $97.09/patient (SD=2.54). After 2008, the daily cost of therapy with VAC was $101.34/patient (SD=0.80) compared to $4.22/patient (SD=0.80) for GSUC, p=0.001. The average yearly direct cost of NPWT was $217,500 from 2000 – 2006 and then fell to fell to $14,690 per year for the period of 2009 – 2011, p=0.001. Conclusions: The tools of comparative effectiveness research can be scaled down to assess problems facing single institution. When encouraged to take ownership of the research process, clinicians will also take ownership of the results. In this case, a standard method of wound care was abandoned less than a year after an in-house trial showed it was more painful, more expensive, but not more effective than a homegrown method.

Dexmedetomidin

Dexmedetomidine is a highly selective α2-receptor agonist with sedative, analgetic and anxiolytic effects. It is chemically related to clonidine and has been an authorized drug in Europe since September 2011. Dexmedetomidine enables a level of sedation in which mechanically ventilated patients may be woken by verbal stimulation (Richmond agitation sedation scale RASS 0--3). In this respect dexmedetomidine achieves the same desired effect as propofol and midazolam; however, in direct comparison to a sedation regime with benzodiazepines, dexmedetomidine reduces the prevalence, duration and severity of delirium in intensive care. Patients sedated by dexmedetomidine can statistically be extubated earlier and an influence on duration of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) has not been shown. Daily therapy costs are approximately 5 times higher than those of propofol but an objective standpoint in relation to clinical cost efficiency is unattainable.

Continuous infusion of piperacillin/tazobactam in ventilator-associated pneumonia: a pilot study on efficacy and costs

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) occurs in nearly one-third of mechanically ventilated patients in the Intensive Care Unit. Piperacillin/tazobactam (TZP) is currently recommended in the empirical treatment of VAP, but intermittent dosing may result in inadequate serum concentrations. The efficacy and costs of continuous infusion (CI) of TZP, using therapeutic drug monitoring for real-time dose adjustment, was assessed in a prospective pilot study of 16 patients with VAP. TZP was given as a loading dose of 2.0/0.25g followed by a CI of 10.0/1.25g daily. Rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the pathogens. TZP concentrations were determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography before and at 1, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96h after the onset of administration. Dosages were adjusted to maintain piperacillin concentrations four-fold above the MIC (T>4×MIC) of the pathogen, with a maximum dose of 16.0/2.0g. The cost of the total TZP administered was compared with the cost of a standard TZP regimen (16.0/2.0g) if given over the same period of time. The median MIC for TZP was 1μg/mL (range 0.025–32μg/mL). TZP concentrations were adequate for 71% of pathogens on the first day of therapy. Clinical cure was achieved in 9/10 patients who had adequate drug concentrations and in 3/6 patients with insufficient levels. The daily dose of TZP received by CI was 37.5% less than that of a standard regimen, which corresponds to a saving of €15 on daily therapy costs compared with the standard regimen. In conclusion, CI of TZP achieved optimal drug concentrations in most patients with VAP, with a favourable impact on costs. Adequate drug concentrations were achieved for MIC≤4μg/mL, but higher dosages should be considered for the treatment of pathogens with low susceptibility thresholds.

Impact of complications and comorbidities on treatment costs and health-related quality of life of patients with Parkinson's disease

BackgroundData regarding both drug-related and non-drug-related costs in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) are scarce, mainly due to the difficulties in data acquisition in experimental designs. Likewise, the reported impact of drug costs on total direct costs varies across different studies. In addition, the influence of comorbidities on both treatment costs and health-related quality of life has not been adequately evaluated. MethodsA sample of office-based neurologists (n=315) in Germany was asked to examine up to five consecutive patients with PD (n=1449) on a specified day during the study period. Patients of all ages were eligible and their evaluation was performed using standardized questionnaires. ResultsPD-specific therapy costs increased with the stage of the disease, early onset of the disease and disease duration. The major costs were due to PD-related therapy, whereas other medications only resulted in minor costs. Disease stage mainly influenced direct therapy costs, with an observed increase of total daily costs from €7.3 to €11.3/day. In addition, disease onset at age <65years resulted in total daily costs of €11.2 compared to late onset of disease (>75years) with daily therapy costs of €5.3. In this patient group neuropsychiatric comorbidities such as dementia and depression were only insufficiently treated. In addition, these comorbidities severely affected health-related quality of life. ConclusionTherapy costs were influenced by disease stage, disease onset as well as present comorbidities. Furthermore, comorbidities such as depression and dementia were diagnosed but were not adequately treated.

Current Evidence for Genetic Testing in Clopidogrel-Treated Patients Undergoing Coronary Stenting

A combined dual antiplatelet treatment consisting of aspirin and the P2Y12 receptor inhibitor clopidogrel is still considered the standard of care treatment in most of the patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Numerous research studies during the last decade, however, have highlighted possible shortcomings of the oral antiplatelet agent clopidogrel, namely its large response variability resulting in an unpredictable response for the individual patient,1,2 the association of both a low3 or enhanced response4,5 with a worse clinical outcome and the dependency of individual responsiveness on nongenetic and genetic variables.6 Response by Pare and Eikelboom on p 513 Clopidogrel is a prodrug that requires bioactivation into its active thiol metabolite before it targets the P2Y12 receptor on blood platelets. In vivo bioactivation of the drug is a 2-step process that is closely linked to the cytochrome P450 (CYP) system. Different isoenzymes are responsible for clopidogrel bioactivation and among them the isoenzyme CYP2C19 was found to play a key role in this setting by contributing to both clopidogrel bioactivation steps.7 In this context, common genetic variants within the CYP2C19 gene have been the subject of considerable attention and have stimulated numerous research projects in recent years.8–14 Beyond CYP2C19, other genes involved in clopidogrel absorption, bioactivation or interplay with the blood platelet and their receptors have been associated with drug responsiveness and clinical outcome as well. Indeed, a growing body of evidence suggests a possible role of genotyping in patients undergoing coronary stenting with a view on optimizing response to P2Y12 receptor inhibitors during and after the procedure. We review available evidence on the need of individualizing antiplatelet treatment regimens in everyday clinical practice. ### Genetic Determinants for Clopidogrel Response and Clinical Outcome In recent years, multiple genetic factors within different candidate genes being involved in clopidogrel absorption, bioactivation, and …

Zur sozioökonomischen Bedeutung des Glaukoms

About 800,000 people in Germany suffer from glaucoma. As the population ages, the prevalence of glaucoma will rise and the socio-economic impact of the disease increase. The costs of glaucoma include those of diagnosis, medical, laser and surgical treatment, and costs of blindness as a result of glaucoma. So far the costs of diagnosis and screening programs are not well known but there is substantial knowledge of the therapeutic costs. Daily therapy costs are about 0.50 to 1.00 euro per patient. Every year the German statutory health insurance system pays about 1,000 euro per glaucoma patient. In addition, blindness due to glaucoma costs the German government over euro 150 million annually in Social Security benefits, lost income tax revenues, and health care expenditures. Demographic changes and scientific progress will even aggravate the socio-economic burden of this disease.

Daily cost of ophthalmic solutions used to treat allergic conjunctivitis in Japan

PURPOSE To estimate the daily cost of various ophthalmic solutions used in Japan for treating allergic conjunctivitis, including nine anti-allergic drugs and six anti-inflammatory drugs. METHODS The drops contained in one bottle of each solution were counted. The cost per drop was calculated by dividing the government-controlled standard prices by the total number of drops in one bottle, and the daily cost of therapy was calculated by multiplying the cost per drop by the number of drops to be given per day. RESULTS The total number of drops of the anti-allergic drugs in a bottle ranged from 108 to 169 and that of the anti-inflammatory drugs from 100 to 145. The information in the package insert for these solutions recommends application 2–4 times daily. The price of the antiallergic drugs studied ranged from $6.35 to $8.38 and that of the anti-inflammatory drugs studied from $2.02 to $5.20. The daily cost of the anti-allergic drugs studied varied considerably, from $0.26 to $0.57; for the anti-inflammatory drugs the range was from $0.12 to $0.20. Variations in the total number of drops per bottle and in the recommended dosage affect the daily cost of ophthalmic solutions. CONCLUSIONS At current prices, the volume of a drop and the dosage had a greater effect on the daily cost than the price of a bottle. Daily cost data may be helpful in selecting ophthalmic products for treating allergic conjunctivitis in settings where the prices of a given drug are relatively uniform.

Mukosaprotektive Therapie unter Langzeitmedikation mit nichtsteroidalen Antirheumatika

Due to the extraordinary high prevalence of peptic lesions in the upper gastrointestine in the long-term treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, a prophylaxis in patients belonging to high-risk groups is essential. Misoprostol, proton pump inhibitors and histamine 2-receptor antagonists have been evaluated in prospective studies. The efficacy of Misoprostol is well documented, though its use in prevention is frequently limited due to side effects. Proton pump inhibitors are also well established, especially in the therapy of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs associated peptic ulcers and in consecutive secondary prevention. The histamine 2-receptor antagonist Famotidine in a high oral dosage is able to reduce the frequency of peptic lesions too, but not to the same degree as Misoprostol and proton pump inhibitors. It is very likely that helicobacter pylori eradication without any further mucosaprotective therapy will only decrease the incidence of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in low dose Aspirin application. In spite of controversial studies this eradication seems to be a useful additional therapy for ulcer prophylaxis in high risk groups. Selective Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors may become a promising alternative, from a pathophysiological perspective. However, to date there has been a lack of clear comparative studies with common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs plus mucosaprotecting agents. Daily therapy costs are higher with a Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor than using the traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs together with either proton pump inhibitors, histamine 2-receptor antagonists or Misoprostol--a fact that should be considered in primary therapeutic decisions. In the following review we will present the most important results of the different prophylactic and therapeutic modalities. On the basis of placebo-controlled, prospective studies on the one hand and the recommendations of the scientific societies on the other, a guideline for daily clinical practice will be suggested.

Órfãos de terapia medicamentosa: a administração de medicamentos por via intravenosa em crianças hospitalizadas

Estudo descritivo, realizado em um hospital universitário, que verificou quantidade e tipo de medicamentos administrados por via intravenosa em crianças, além da adequação da apresentação farmacológica para uso em pediatria e custo estimado de administração de algumas drogas. Em trinta dias, foram administradas 8.245 doses de medicamentos, com média diária de 274,83 doses, e projeção anual de 98.940. Os principais medicamentos utilizados foram metilpredinosolona, vancomicina, furosemida, ranitidina, penicilina, amicacina, midazolan, fentanil, ceftriaxone e cefalotina. Nenhum dos 41 medicamentos identificados possuía apresentação pediátrica, acarretando, em alguns casos, maior manipulação durante o preparo, risco de contaminação e perda da estabilidade. Observou-se que a falta de apresentação pediátrica gerou aumento dos custos de atendimento; na prescrição de uma criança em pós-operatório, com tempo de internação estimado de cinco dias, a terapia administrada diária foi de US$ 6.71, e US$ 39.52 de medicamentos tiveram que ser desprezados, por excederem as necessidades terapêuticas da criança.

Daily Cost of Ophthalmic Solutions for Treating Glaucoma in Japan

Purpose: We conducted a study of the daily cost of various ophthalmic solutions used in Japan for treating glaucoma: β-adrenergic blockers (11 products), epinephrine (3), cholinergics (3), prostaglandins (2), and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (2). Methods: The total number of drops in one bottle of each solution was counted drop by drop. The cost per drop was calculated by dividing the government-controlled standard prices by the total number of drops in one bottle. The daily cost of therapy was calculated by multiplying the cost per drop by the number of drops typically used per day. Results: The average cost of each preparation was calculated based on the prices and the daily usage. The daily cost of the β-adrenergic blockers studied ranged widely, from $0.43 to $1.04. Conclusions: These data may be useful in selecting ophthalmic products for glaucoma therapy in Japan.

Economic aspects of empiric antibiotic therapy for febrile neutropenia in children with cancer.

Several antibiotic regimens have been proposed worldwide for empiric treatment of febrile neutropenia in children with cancer, but none of them shows clear advantages in terms of clinical efficacy. Therefore, other parameters, including drug acquisition costs, should be considered in the selection of treatment. Children receive a "fraction" of a standard daily dose, and this fraction is generally calculated on the basis of body weight; therefore, the cost of each day of therapy is determined by the packages available for each single drug. We calculated the acquisition costs of various drugs proposed for the empiric treatment of febrile neutropenia in children with cancer, and then we estimated the daily cost of therapy referred to different patient weights. In general, the combination regimen with ceftriaxone plus aminoglycoside turned out to be less expensive than other regimens (including monotherapy with third-generation cephalosporins or carbapenems).

Daily cost of beta-adrenergic blocker therapy.

To evaluate the daily cost of beta-blocker therapy among commercially available products. Ten different beta-adrenergic blocker preparations, each in 10-mL bottles (except Timoptic-XE [Merck brand of timolol maleate gel-forming solution], which was in a 5-mL bottle), were acquired from a local pharmacy. Each of 10 subjects dispensed 10 drops from each bottle onto an analytical scale. The mean drop volume for each preparation was then calculated. The fill volume of each bottle and the amount of each medicine that was wasted upon dispensing also were determined. Additionally, 60 pharmacies in the United States were randomly chosen to determine the average cost of each preparation studied. Based on all data obtained, an average daily cost of each medicine was calculated. The generic formulation of timolol maleate (Falcon) ($0.55) and Betimol (Ciba Vision Ophthalmics brand of timolol hemihydrate) ($0.57) demonstrated the lowest cost per day of therapy. In contrast, Betoptic-S (Alcon brand of betaxolol hydrochloride) ($1.60) and Betagan (Allergan brand of levobunonol hydrochloride) ($1.35) had the highest daily cost of therapy. Ocupress (Otsuka America brand of carteolol hydrochloride) had the smallest drop volume (31 microL) and Timoptic-XE had the highest (49 microL). Most preparations were close to their stated bottle fill volume. The amount of wasted medicine varied and was least with Ocupress (27%) and greatest with Betoptic-S (54%). The mean pharmacy price for a 10-mL bottle was lowest for OptiPranolol (Bausch & Lomb brand of metipranolol) ($25.51) and Betimol ($28.28); Betoptic-S ($44.80) and Betagan ($43.67) were the most expensive. Although all commercially available beta-adrenergic blockers effectively lower intraocular pressure, one differential factor between medicines is cost, which may be influenced by the price at the pharmacy, volume of medication per bottle, drop size, and medicine wastage.

1253 Efficacy of megestrol acetate on anorexia in patients with advanced non hormone-related tumors: A double-blind placebo controlled clinical trial

Megestrol acetate (MA) was reported to induce weight gain and increase of appetite in cancer patients. <h3>Methods</h3> Out-patients of the "Divisione Terapia del Dolore" of the "Istituto Nazionale per la Cura dei Tumori" (Milano) with advanced non hormone-responsive tumors and loss or absence of appetite, who didn't assume any corticosteroid were randomized for a Phase III trial, that consisted of two consecutive phases: a double-blind placebo controlled phase of 14 days (phase A) and an open phase of 76 days (phase B). During phase A patients were treated with MA 2 tablets × 160mg/day (a low dose for this indication) or placebo. In phase B all patients received different dosages of MA according to the response to treatment. A patient was considered responsive if his appetite, evaluated by means of a categoric-numeric scale, increased by 2 or more points. Other parameters investigated were: food intake, body weight, Perfonnance Status (Karnofsky), mood state (POMS) and pain. <h3>Results</h3> Forty-two patients were enrolled in this trial. Thirty-three patients were evaluable for efficacy: 13/16 MA patients were responsive for appetite vs 5/17 placebo patients. This result is clinically and statistically significant (<i>P</i><0.003). No relevant toxicity occurred during the study. <h3>Conclusions</h3> MA showed a remarkable effect on appetite with a low dose (2 tablets × 160mg/die) already after 14 days, without side-effects of relief. This result is of great importance considering the relevance of the quality of life and the low life expectancy of these patients and the low daily therapy costs of this treatment.

Potential Cost-Avoidance with Oral Extended-Release Morphine Sulfate Tablets Versus Morphine Sulfate Solution

The costs of acquiring, preparing, and administering morphine sulfate extended-release tablets and morphine sulfate solution were compared. Pharmacists at an acute-care community hospital timed the pharmacy and nursing components of the process of preparing and administering single doses of morphine sulfate extended-release tablets 60 mg and morphine sulfate solution 5 mg/mL. The labor cost of each step was determined by multiplying the mean time required to perform the task by the median of the wage scale for the person performing it. Acquisition costs and ancillary supply costs were determined, and the overall cost of each therapy was calculated. The total time required for providing single doses did not differ substantially. However, assuming a total daily morphine sulfate dosage of 120 mg, the time required for administering extended-release morphine sulfate tablets 60 mg twice daily was determined to be 8.90 minutes, compared with 23.44 minutes for solution (4 mL of 5-mg/mL solution) six times daily. Thus, although the cost of acquiring extended-release tablets was considerably higher than that of solution, the total daily cost of therapy with tablets was less than half that of therapy with solution. The potential for cost avoidance and the clinical advantages associated with extended-release morphine sulfate tablets make this formulation an attractive therapeutic alternative.

Cost Considerations of Intravenously Administered Histamine2-Receptor Antagonists

The cost of intravenously administered histamine2 (H2)-receptor antagonists to hospitalized patients is high. Costs can be expressed as either direct or indirect. Direct costs include drug cost, labor costs (pharmacy/nursing time), and the materials required for iv administration of these agents. Indirect costs include adverse effects, drug interactions, and allergic reactions. Due to the high percentage of total cost for labor and materials associated with the iv H2-receptor antagonists, a reduction in drug cost, although certainly desired, is unlikely to substantially reduce the amount charged the patient per intravenous dose administered or the daily cost of therapy. However, if less frequent dosing were required to achieve similar therapeutic effects, the daily therapy cost for iv H2-receptor antagonists could be substantially reduced. Assuming that cimetidine, ranitidine, and famotidine are equally effective and safe, our cost analyses at the University of Tennessee Medical Center/William F. Bowld Hospital indicate that famotidine administered q12h, regardless of the iv administration technique used, is the most cost-effective H2-receptor antagonist and is the drug of choice.