Haydek M, Furmaga EM, Just VL
Outcome of a mandatory formulary conversion of nifedipine XL
to felodipine in a Veterans Affairs Medical Center
12th Annual ASH Meeting
Am J Hypertens
(Apr) 10:141A 1997
VAMC pharmacy committee in one medical center voted to convert all
patients from Nifedipine XL to felodipine, in an effort to
control cost. Therefore, an evaluation of the effectiveness of the new
treatment was done in a randomly selected group of 130 patients. A chart
evaluation was conducted after 3.3 and 6.4 months after the switch,
respectively.
There were no significant differences in BP levels following conversion to
felodipine. BP was controlled at < 140/90 in 56 patients while on
nifedipine XL, and
in 51 patients on felodipine, with p=0.26 (NS).
Comment: The findings suggest that therapy
with either of the dihydropyridines can be used effectively, based on
cost-effectiveness considerations.
(Armando Lindner, M.D., University of Washington, Seattle)
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12th Annual ASH Meeting
H: Drug therapy :
Cost-effectiveness
H: Drug therapy :
Calcium channel blockers