Cost-effectiveness of the treatment of heart failure with ramipril: a Spanish analysis of the AIRE study.

Abstract

AIMS:

To estimate the cost-effectiveness of adding ramipril to conventional treatment in patients with heart failure after myocardial infarction from the perspective of the Spanish National Health System.

METHODS AND RESULTS:

A retrospective analysis of the AIRE study was made, using previously published data from the clinical trial combined with local Spanish resource and cost data. A typical rehospitalisation for a heart failure episode would last an average of 11.6 days with an average cost of 350.80 per day. The incremental cost of ramipril per life-year gained in the baseline case was 1550.10 after 3.8 years of follow-up. Sensitivity analysis showed that the basic conclusions were robust in spite of extreme variations in the values of the key parameters of the model.

CONCLUSION:

The use of ramipril in addition to conventional treatment in heart failure patients after myocardial infarction is cost-effective both according to currently accepted international standards of what constitutes a cost-effective intervention and also indirectly by comparing the results with similar pharmaceutical products financed under the Spanish National Health System.

• Authors: Warren Mark Hart, Carlos Rubio-Terres, Francisco Pajuelo, Jose R González Juanatey
• Journal: European journal of heart failure (Eur J Heart Fail) Vol. 4 Issue 4 Pg. 553-8 (Aug 2002) ISSN: 1388-9842 [Print] England
• PMID: 12167396 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
• Ramipril

Topics

• Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (adverse effects, economics, therapeutic use)
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Cost-Benefit Analysis
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Heart Failure (drug therapy, economics)
• Humans
• Length of Stay (economics)
• Myocardial Infarction (drug therapy, economics)
• Patient Readmission (economics)
• Ramipril (adverse effects, economics, therapeutic use)
• Retrospective Studies
• Spain