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[Cost effectiveness of captopril after myocardial infarct; comment]
Background:
In Germany approximately 88,000 people died as a result of acute myocardial infarction and approximately 300,000 people suffered from acute myocardial infarction in 1992. These data demonstrate the socioeconomic impact of coronary disease. In the SAVE-(Survival-and-Ventricular-Enlargement) study, Pfeffer et al. demonstrated a reduction of morbidity and mortality due to therapy with captopril in patients after myocardial infarction. In a retrospective, incremental cost-effectiveness-analysis, from the perspective of German statutory insurance fund, the economic impact of captopril after myocardial infarction has been analysed.
Patients And Method:
The basis for the economic evaluation has been the double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical SAVE-study which included 2,231 patients having left ventricular dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction. Additional data e.g. average number of hospital days or average costs for hospitalisation per day was taken from published national statistical sources. In the cost-effectiveness-analysis, inputs (monetary units) and outputs (non-monetary units) were identified and measured. The cost-effectiveness (costs per life-year gained) demonstrates a relation between the costs of captopril-treatment, costs for myocardial infarction and costs for leftventricular insuffiency and the clinical benefit e.g. life years gained.
Results:
Initially costs in the captopril-group are 3.7 Mio DM higher as in the placebo-group. But these costs are partly compensated by the cost reductions in the captopril-group, compared to the placebo-group (2,162,901 DM) the reduction of myocardial infarction and DM 556,518 cost reduction due to fewer patients with left ventricular dysfunction. The clinical benefit of the captopril treatment equals 495 life years gained. The cost-effectiveness-ratio is 2,000 DM cost for life year gained.
Conclusion:
The treatment with captopril after acute myocardial infarction is not only a clinically efficacious treatment, but also cost-effective in patients after acute myocardial infarction.