Health outcomes evaluations: estimating the impact of almotriptan in managed care settings.
OBJECTIVE
Almotriptan, a new treatment for acute migraine attacks, may improve health outcomes while reducing expenditures on drug costs and the costs associated with unwanted adverse events. This article describes the clinical, humanistic, and economic data available for almotriptan and compares these data with published data for sumatriptan, which is considered the gold standard comparator for triptans.


METHODS
Clinical trial data and published materials describing the pharmacoeconomics of sumatriptan were reviewed.


RESULTS
Formulary and prescribing decision makers consider clinical, humanistic, and economic dimensions when evaluating migraine treatments. Within those dimensions, critical elements to consider include efficacy, tolerability, health-related quality of life, patient satisfaction, productivity, medication cost, and healthcare resource use. In direct comparisons, almotriptan has demonstrated efficacy, short-term health-related quality of life, and productivity results similar to sumatriptan 50 mg. Almotriptan also has an improved tolerability profile compared with sumatriptan, including a lower incidence of drug-related adverse events, a lower incidence of chest pain, and better patient satisfaction in terms of adverse events.


CONCLUSIONS
Almotriptan and sumatriptan exhibit comparable efficacy for the treatment of acute migraine. The acquisition cost of almotriptan is lower than sumatriptan, and given its excellent tolerability profile, almotriptan may be preferred by patients for the treatment of migraine attacks.
Mayo
Kevin W
KW
Pharmacia Corporation, Peapack, New Jersey, USA.
Osterhaus
Jane T
JT
D003363:Cost Control; D016527:Drug Costs; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000191:economics*; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014363:Tryptamines; D014481:United States
D007211:Indoles; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D014363:Tryptamines; C409045:almotriptan