A projection of the impact of lipid-lowering therapy on high-risk employee disability and medical costs.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to examine the impact of introducing rosuvastatin calcium on direct and indirect costs among patients at high risk for coronary heart disease.


METHODS
An economic simulation model was developed to project the number of cardiovascular events and associated direct and indirect costs under varying treatment scenarios.


RESULTS
In an average-sized commercial health plan with 210,000 covered lives and 9,336 high-risk patients, an uptake of rosuvastatin by 11% of high-risk patients would result in eight fewer cardiovascular events, a net savings of 0.85 million dollars in direct medical costs and a net savings of 36,404 dollars in productivity loss over a period of 5 years. The overall reduction in total costs is equivalent to 1735 dollars per rosuvastatin-treated patient.


CONCLUSIONS
At current statin prices, the use of rosuvastatin could lead to fewer cardiovascular events and lower direct and indirect costs.
Song
Xue
X
Thomson Medstat, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Huse
Daniel M
DM
Williams
Setareh A
SA
Borok
Gerald M
GM
McDonough
Ken
K
Ozminkowski
Ronald J
RJ
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017046:Cost Savings; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005464:Fluorobenzenes / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D005544:Forecasting; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D007354:Insurance, Major Medical / Q000191:economics; D008390:Markov Chains; D017059:Models, Econometric; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends*; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics
D005464:Fluorobenzenes; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D011743:Pyrimidines; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000068718:Rosuvastatin Calcium