S D Vold1, D A Wiggins, J Jackimiec. 1. Department of Surgery, Scott & White Memorial Hospital and Clinic, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Temple 76508, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To evaluate the yearly cost in 1998 of glaucoma medications to patients and to the Health Plan at a university-affiliated teaching hospital with its own health maintenance organization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data concerning Health Plan glaucoma-medication prescriptions for 1998 were retrieved from the hospital pharmacy database. RESULTS: The most costly medication per patient per year was latanoprost (Xalatan; Pharmacia & Upjohn, Kalamazoo, MI [$337]), followed by betaxolol hydrochloride (Betoptic-S; Alcon, Fort Worth, TX [$336]), dorzolamide (Trusopt; Merck & Co., West Point, PA [$288]), brimonidine tartrate (Alphagan; Allergan Pharmaceuticals, Irvine, CA [$260]), timolol maleate 0.5% in a gel-forming solution (Timoptic-XE 0.5%; Merck & Co., West Point, PA [$199]), levobunolol hydrochloride (Betagan; Allergan Pharmaceuticals, Irvine, CA [$195]), and generic timolol maleate 0.5% ($132). Cost per unit was greatest for Betoptic-S ($51), exceeding that of Trusopt ($43) and Xalatan ($43), Alphagan ($42), Betagan ($38), Timoptic-XE 0.5% ($32), and timolol maleate 0.5% ($27). CONCLUSION: Variability in the cost of medications may influence the long-term medical management of glaucoma patients.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the yearly cost in 1998 of glaucoma medications to patients and to the Health Plan at a university-affiliated teaching hospital with its own health maintenance organization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data concerning Health Plan glaucoma-medication prescriptions for 1998 were retrieved from the hospital pharmacy database. RESULTS: The most costly medication per patient per year was latanoprost (Xalatan; Pharmacia & Upjohn, Kalamazoo, MI [$337]), followed by betaxolol hydrochloride (Betoptic-S; Alcon, Fort Worth, TX [$336]), dorzolamide (Trusopt; Merck & Co., West Point, PA [$288]), brimonidine tartrate (Alphagan; Allergan Pharmaceuticals, Irvine, CA [$260]), timolol maleate 0.5% in a gel-forming solution (Timoptic-XE 0.5%; Merck & Co., West Point, PA [$199]), levobunolol hydrochloride (Betagan; Allergan Pharmaceuticals, Irvine, CA [$195]), and generic timolol maleate 0.5% ($132). Cost per unit was greatest for Betoptic-S ($51), exceeding that of Trusopt ($43) and Xalatan ($43), Alphagan ($42), Betagan ($38), Timoptic-XE 0.5% ($32), and timolol maleate 0.5% ($27). CONCLUSION: Variability in the cost of medications may influence the long-term medical management of glaucomapatients.
Authors: Gabriel Lazcano-Gomez; María de Los Angeles Ramos-Cadena; Margarita Torres-Tamayo; Alejandra Hernandez de Oteyza; Mauricio Turati-Acosta; Jesús Jimenez-Román Journal: Medicine (Baltimore) Date: 2016-11 Impact factor: 1.889