Abstract

GALINDO-FERREIRO, A; SANCHEZ-TOCINO, H; FERNANDEZ-MUNOZ, M  and  IGLESIAS CORTINAS, D. Cost-effectivity analysis of the most used antiglaucoma drugs. Arch Soc Esp Oftalmol [online]. 2004, vol.79, n.8, pp.379-384. ISSN 0365-6691.

Purpose: To evaluate the yearly cost and the cost-effectiveness of commercially available topical products in treatment of glaucoma. Methods: This analysis evaluates 12 topical agents in glaucoma: Betoptic, Betagan, Timoftol, Timogel, Alphagan, Lumigan, Travatan, Xalatan, Trusopt, Azopt. The number of drops per bottle of glaucoma medications is determined for all commercially tested products. The yearly cost of the dosage schedules was compared. We selected for each one 5 to 10-reported comparative hypotensive efficacy studies and we calculated the cost-effectiveness as the ratio between the yearly cost and the mean hypotensive efficacy. Results: The range of hypotensive efficacy of monotherapy components is from 13.8% to 31.9%. Lumigan and Xalatan present the highest hypotensive efficacy, 31.9% and 28.6% respectively. The cheapest medication is the beta-blockers group. The cost-efficacy ratio of glaucoma therapy is 1.5 for Timoftol, 2.8 for Betagan, 9.6 for Alphagan, 9.1 for Lumigan, 10.7 for Xalatan and 11.3 for Travatan. Conclusions: Over time, Lumigan is significantly most effective in controlling IOP. The cost-effectiveness for managing IOP will depend on both price and hypotensive efficacy. The beta-blockers group has lower hypotensive efficacy than prostaglandin analogs but cost-effectiveness is better in the former because of its low price.

Keywords : Cost-hypotensive efficacy; glaucoma topical treatment; yearly cost.