Pharmacoeconomic analysis of cilostazol for the secondary prevention of cerebral infarction.
BACKGROUND
The antiplatelet agent, cilostazol, is known to reduce the risk of subsequent cerebral infarction. However, the cost effectiveness of such treatment in comparison to aspirin has not been studied.


RESULTS
A Markov model was developed to calculate the health outcomes and associated costs for 65-year-old patients with cerebral infarction who were treated with 200 mg/day cilostazol or 81 mg/day aspirin. Cilostazol was more effective, but also more expensive than aspirin. Cilostazol would extend quality-adjusted life years (QALY) by 0.64, while increasing life-time costs by approximately Yen 1.1 million. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of cilostazol in comparison with aspirin was estimated to be Yen 1.8 million per QALY.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of cilostazol to prevent recurrence of cerebral infarction appears to be cost effective.
Department of Pharmacy, St. Luke's International Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. tadaoino@luke.or.jp
Tadao
T
Inoue
Makoto
M
Kobayashi
Yoshio
Y
Uetsuka
Shinichiro
S
Uchiyama
D000368:Aged; D001241:Aspirin / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000077407:Cilostazol; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008390:Markov Chains; D017059:Models, Econometric; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors
D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D013777:Tetrazoles; D000077407:Cilostazol; D001241:Aspirin