Cost-effectiveness analysis of three common long-term calcium channel blockers in treatment of mild-to-moderate primary hypertension

AIM To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of three common long-term calcium channel blockers in treatment of mild-to-moderate primary hypertension.METHODS One hundred and eighty mild-to-moderate primary hypertension patients in the clinic were randomized into three groups,60 for each group,and respectivdy oral nifedipine 30 mg,felodipine 5 mg and amlodipine 5 mg at once daily,followed for 8 weeks. The therapeutic effects were observed and were evaluated by cost-effectiveness analysis.RESULTS The clinical efficacies of the nifedipine group,the felodipine group and the amlodipine group were 90%,93%and 95%, respectively,with no significant differences in the three groups(P 0.05).The cost-effectiveness ratios of the nifedipine group,the felodipine group and the amlodipine group were 11.54,10.35 and 11.28,respectively.To make the felodipine group as the baseline,the incremental cost-incremental effectiveness ratios of the nifedipine group and the amlodipine group were 22.06 and 62.59.CONCLUSION The cost-effectiveness of felodipine is superior to nifedipine and amlodipine in the treatment of mild-to-moderate primary hypertension.