BiDil cost-effectiveness

Executive Summary

Nitromed's BiDil contributed to reduced heart failure-related and overall healthcare costs due to a reduction in the number and length of heart failure-related hospitalizations, according to a pharmacoeconomic analysis of the African American Heart Failure Trial (A-HEFT) published in Circulation Dec. 13. The analysis, conducted by Derek Angus, University of Pittsburgh, et al., found that including an average daily drug cost of $6.38, use of isosorbide dinitrate/hydralazine reduced costs and improved outcomes during the 12.8 month trial duration. Assuming no additional benefits beyond the trial, the analysis predicted that cost-effectiveness of the therapy using heart failure-related costs to be $16,600/life-year at two years after enrollment, $37,100/life-year at five years and $41,800/life-year over a lifetime...