Analysis Shows Lipitor To Be Cost-Effective In Treating Patients With Prior Stroke

Main Category: Stroke
Article Date: 28 Apr 2009 - 5:00 PDT

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A new analysis of clinical study data showed that, for patients who recently suffered a stroke or "mini stroke" but have no known coronary heart disease, treatment with Lipitor® (atorvastatin calcium) 80 mg is cost-effective in the U.S. for reducing risk of additional cardiovascular events and recurrent stroke.

This analysis sought to understand the economic impact of using Lipitor in patients with a recent stroke.

Information from the Stroke Prevention by Aggressive Reduction in Cholesterol Levels (SPARCL) clinical trial, which explored whether Lipitor 80 mg reduced the risk of future cardiovascular events in this patient population compared to placebo was used in an innovative computer model to predict the implied costs and outcomes. The model compared estimated total medical costs as well as survival times and quality of life for patients treated either with or without Lipitor 80 mg. Patients' clinical paths were predicted based on risks for cardiovascular events as observed in the SPARCL study. Life expectancy was derived from an analysis of an external independent data set, and adjustments in quality-of-life over time were based on published literature. According to the model, Lipitor was estimated to prevent more than 900 hospitalizations per 10,000 patients over 5 years.

This analysis was funded by Pfizer Inc. and performed with researchers at United BioSource Corporation. It will be published in a future issue of Value in Health, the official journal of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research.

Says study author Dr. Thitima Kongnakorn, "Although there are costs associated with the addition of Lipitor to usual care, our analysis predicts that the overall savings resulting from fewer subsequent strokes, heart attacks and other related events are substantial and offset more than half of the drug costs. We found that the value of Lipitor in the management of this group of patients exceeds the additional cost based on generally accepted standards in the United States."

Value in Health (ISSN 1098-3015) publishes papers, concepts, and ideas that advance the field of pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research and help health care leaders to make decisions that are solidly evidence-based. The journal is published bi-monthly and has a regular readership of over 4,000 clinicians, decision-makers, and researchers worldwide.

ISPOR is a nonprofit, international organization that strives to translate pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research into practice to ensure that society allocates scarce health care resources wisely, fairly, and efficiently.

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ISPOR