The cost-effectiveness of amlodipine treatment in patients with coronary artery disease

The objective of this paper was to quantify the impact on overall cardiovascular disease treatment costs resulting from the use of amlodipine in the coronary artery disease (CAD) population in the UK. A Markov cohort simulation model was developed to estimate the overall average healthcare costs of patients with CAD in the UK and to determine the cost-effectiveness of the use of amlodipine as part of their treatment regimen. Outcome probabilities used in the model were based on patient-level data from the Prospective Evaluation of the Vascular Effects of Norvasc Trial (PREVENT). Cost estimates for in-patient and out-patient care associated with each outcome were applied to quantify the overall average healthcare cost for each arm of the study. The hospitalisation rate per patient in the placebo cohort was 61.8% while that in the amlodipine cohort was 44.3%. This corresponds to an average cost per patient for cardiovascular disease (CVD) treatment of £1,858.64 for amlodipine patients and £1,800.49 for placebo patients over three years of follow-up. Calculations yield a cost per hospitalisation avoided of £331.67. In conclusion, the inclusion of amlodipine in the treatment regimen for patients with CAD is expected to result in improved clinical outcomes through a marginal investment in cost.