Cost-effectiveness of anti-hypertensive medications in a regional hospital in rural Malaysia
Objectives: Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors for Cardiovascular Disease in Malaysia. Population-based hypertension control is extremely poor at only 6% based on the 1996 National Health and Morbidity Survey. One of the possible reasons include the availability and cost of an...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wolters Kluwer
2008
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/5248/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/5248/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/5248/1/J_Hypertens_Abstracts%5B1%5D.pdf |
| Summary: | Objectives: Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors for Cardiovascular
Disease in Malaysia. Population-based hypertension control is
extremely poor at only 6% based on the 1996 National Health and Morbidity
Survey. One of the possible reasons include the availability and cost of antihypertensive
medications. Methods: A retrospective review of the annual cost
(2006) of anti-hypertensive medications was undertaken at the Department of
Pharmacy, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan, a 600-bed major regional hospital
on the east-coast of Malaysia. The total number of prescriptions given out and
the total cost per drug is then factored to give the annual cost per drug per
person in a percentage of the total annual expenditure. Results: The majority
of patients were on either 2 (46.5%) or 3 (25.9%) anti-hypertensives. The most
frequently prescribed medications were ACE-Inhibitors (33.45%), Calciumchannel
blockers (29.63%), diuretics (16.67%), Beta blockers (13.64%) and
Alpha blockers (2.69%). In terms of cost however, the Calcium-channel
blockers constituted the greatest percentage of the annual anti-hypertensive
budget (63.67%) compared to ACE-Inhibitors at just 20.04% of the annual
expenditure. The most ‘cost-effective’ group of drugs are the diuretics making
up 16.67% of the total annual prescriptions but only constituting 1.23% of
the annual cost. Conclusion: The Calcium-channel blockers are the most
‘cost-ineffective’ medications available at our regional Hospital making up
less than one third of the total annual prescriptions but making up nearly
two-thirds of the annual anti-hypertensive budget. The most ‘cost-effective’
medications were diuretics, Beta-blockers and ACE-inhibitors in order of
‘cost-effectiveness’. |
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