The cost of new therapies in cardiovascular care. Time for hope or despair for developing countries

In recent years, remarkable therapeutic advances have been made in the field of interventional cardiology with the introduction of statins, thienopyridines, such as clopidogrel and drug-eluting stents. Only a small minority in developing countries can afford these new treatment modalities, while the public health system would be rapidly bankrupted if it were to provide these modalities for all patients who might benefit from it. The purpose of this review article is to provide insight regarding the cost-effectiveness of these new treatment strategies and to address the added costs resulting upon their adoption and their appropriateness in developing countries.