Cost of medication therapy in ambulatory HIV-infected patients.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the use and cost associated with prescribed medications as well as the use of over-the-counter medications and nontraditional therapies among ambulatory HIV-infected patients at Ryan White Title IIIb grantee centers.


METHODS
Study participants (n = 223) were enrolled from eight centers across the US and Puerto Rico. Data were collected by a nurse, pharmacist, or physician through review of medical records and medication profiles. Information on the use of over-the-counter drugs and alternative therapies was obtained from the patients.


RESULTS
Two hundred eleven (94.6%) patients received a mean +/- SD of 5.3 +/- 3.8 prescription medications during a consecutive 90-day period. The cost of medication was $1237.62 +/- $1751.49 per patient. Patients with a diagnosis of AIDS received a greater number of prescription drugs: an average of 6.6 compared with 3.4 among HIV-positive patients and 3.5 among asymptomatic patients. Antiretroviral agents were used by 143 (68.7%) patients. Zidovudine and stavudine had the highest cost ($611.81 +/- $254.10 and $596.96 +/- $352.80, respectively). Eighty-one (40.9%) patients reported the use of at least one over-the-counter product (range 0-11) and 11.8% reported use of alternative therapies.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows the cost of drug treatment for HIV-infected patients has remained stable since the early 1990s. However, it is anticipated this will change due to the introduction of new anti-HIV agents, greater use of combination therapies, greater use of prophylactic therapies, and increased survival times.
Nykamp
D
D
Mercer University School of Pharmacy, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA.
Barnett
C W
CW
Lago
M
M
Parham
D L
DL
Fernandez
E S
ES
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016527:Drug Costs; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000191:economics
D004366:Nonprescription Drugs