A comparative analysis of amlodipine and felodipine in a military outpatient population: efficacy, outcomes, and cost considerations.
BACKGROUND
This retrospective study compared the efficacy, tolerability, and cost of two dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers.


METHODS
Charts of patients who had been on continuous antihypertensive therapy with amlodipine or felodipine for at least 6 months were reviewed. Analyses include mean changes in blood pressure, percentage of patients achieving blood pressure (BP) < 140/90 mm Hg, average dose, and cost per day of the two calcium channel blockers, average cost of additional medication, total medication cost per day, and cost to achieve BP control.


RESULTS
Eighty-seven percent of amlodipine-treated patients achieved BP control compared with 33% of felodipine-treated patients. Total medication cost to achieve BP control was 0.87 dollars per day for patients on amlodipine compared with 1.79 dollars per day for patients on felodipine.


CONCLUSIONS
Amlodipine produced BP control in a greater percentage of patients than did felodipine at a lower total cost to achieve BP control. When evaluating the total cost of antihypertensive treatment, the cost of a drug alone can be misleading.
Blivin
Steven J
SJ
Department of Primary Care, Naval Medical Clinic, Quantico, VA, USA. blivin@dellnet.com
Pippins
Julie
J
Annis
Laura G
LG
Lyons
Farris
F
D017311:Amlodipine / Q000191:economics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000191:economics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003363:Cost Control; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015736:Felodipine / Q000191:economics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D006772:Hospitals, Military; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009326:Naval Medicine / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D017311:Amlodipine; D015736:Felodipine