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Clinical and economic outcomes in patients switched to simvastatin in a community-based family medicine practice
- Source :
- International Journal of Clinical Practice. 64:1235-1238
- Publication Year :
- 2010
- Publisher :
- Hindawi Limited, 2010.
-
Abstract
- Summary Background: The introduction of a generic formulation of simvastatin has created the potential to provide significant low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction in a highly cost-effective manner. Methods: This retrospective cohort analysis utilised electronic medical record data from a United States, community-based, independent physician family medicine practice. Patients switched from other statins or statin combinations to simvastatin by the family medicine physicians during routine patient care from January 2002 to October 2008 were identified. Equivalent statin dosing, lipid panel changes and National Cholesterol Education Program – Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP) LDL-C goal attainment rates were compared preswitch and postswitch. The potential economic impact of simvastatin switching was also evaluated. Results: A total of 78 patients were identified, and in 76.9% of the switches, an equipotent dose of simvastatin was prescribed. All lipid fractions showed small, non-significant increases, with LDL-C having a 2.2 mg/dl (0.06 mmol/l) increase after switching (p = 0.476). NCEP LDL-C goal attainment rates were 79.5% and 78.2% before and after switching, respectively (p = 1.00). Modelled annual cost savings associated with switching were estimated at $671.99 per patient. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that an independent family medicine physician practice can successfully perform statin therapeutic substitution during routine patient care. Equivalent clinical outcomes with regards to changes in lipid fractions and NCEP LDL-C goal attainment were observed in conjunction with the potential for reduced costs for patients.
- Subjects :
- Community based
medicine.medical_specialty
Statin
biology
business.industry
medicine.drug_class
nutritional and metabolic diseases
Retrospective cohort study
General Medicine
Simvastatin
Family medicine
HMG-CoA reductase
biology.protein
Medicine
lipids (amino acids, peptides, and proteins)
In patient
cardiovascular diseases
Dosing
business
National Cholesterol Education Program
medicine.drug
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 13685031
- Volume :
- 64
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- International Journal of Clinical Practice
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi...........195b401bc512708063a72894cec72399
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1742-1241.2010.02423.x