A retrospective economic evaluation of olanzapine versus risperidone in the treatment of schizophrenia.

This retrospective study evaluates drug treatment patterns and economic outcomes of olanzapine in comparison with risperidone in the treatment of schizophrenia in usual practice. Results showed that patients taking olanzapine versus risperidone stayed on therapy longer (P < .0001) and were prescribed anti-Parkinsonian medications less frequently (P < .005). Compared with risperidone, olanzapine treatment resulted in lower direct mental health care costs ($1,827 less, P < .03) and lower direct total health care costs ($1,834 less, P < .05). The results of this study suggest that the initial selection of an antipsychotic for the treatment of schizophrenia is important: Olanzapine offset its acquisition cost by reducing medical service costs and demonstrated better drug treatment patterns than risperidone.