[Economic impact of Losartan use in type 2 diabetic patients with nephropathy].
BACKGROUND
The study RENAAL (Reduction of Endpoints in NIDDM with the Angiotensin II Antagonist Losartan) demonstrated that Losartan was more effective lo reduce the progression of kidney disease in diabetic patients with proteinuria and a reduction in glomerular filtration rate.


OBJECTIVE
To perform a cost benefit analysis of Losartan use from provider and payer points of view.


METHODS
Published data of the RENAAL study was analyzed. The costs of the use or not use of Losartan in patients with diabetic nephropathy were compared in terms of total costs of the disease including medications, hospital admissions for myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accidents and congestive cardiac failure and the costs of chronic hemodialysis.


RESULTS
The reduction in antihypertensive medication use, hospital admissions, and the delay in dialysis requirement from a mean of 65 to 79 months induced by Losartan use, results in net savings of $7,576,135 per patient, at 3.5 years of intervention. The figure does not change using different sensitivity scenarios.


CONCLUSIONS
The eventual use of Losartan in type 2 diabetic patients results in important savings.
González F
Fernando
F
Hospital del Salvador, Santiago, Chile. fgonzalf@uc.cl
Fuentes C
Verónica
V
Castro H
Catalina
C
Santelices L
Juan Pablo
JP
Lorca H
Eduardo
E
D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002677:Chile; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control; D019808:Losartan / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D019808:Losartan