title: Treatment costs of venlafaxine and selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors for depression and anxiety.
abstract: In this article, health care expenditures are assessed for patients diagnosed with depression who are being treated with either venlafaxine (immediate or extended release) or a selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Patients beginning treatment for a new depressive episode were identified retrospectively from 1994 to 1998. Before beginning therapy, patients prescribed venlafaxine (N = 353) had more nonmental illnesses (0.84 vs. 0.75 clinical events/patient, respectively; P < .01) and hospitalizations for mental illness (0.56 vs. 0.30 hospitalizations/patient; P = .06) than patients prescribed SSRIs (N = 7,330). In the six months after initiating treatment, venlafaxine was associated with lower hospitalization expenditures for nonmental illness than were SSRIs ($206 vs. $472, respectively; P = .02), but total health care expenditures were not significantly different.
authors.affiliation: Wyeth Research, Philadelphia, USA. wang@wyeth.com
authors.forename: George J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Crown
authors.forename: Ernst R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Berndt
authors.forename: Stan N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Finkelstein
authors.forename: Davina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ling
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003511:Cyclohexanols / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016527:Drug Costs; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000191:economics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014481:United States; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride
chemical_list: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D003511:Cyclohexanols; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride