COST-EFFECTIVE ANALYSIS IN TREATING DIABETES MELLITUS WITH COMORBIDITY

Abstract

Objective: The main objective of this study is to sort out the most common prescription patterns and their cost-effective analysis (CEA).

Methods: A prospective study design is followed to collect the data. Based on the percentage, the first three comorbidities which occupy a major part of the sample are taken into consideration. The top two used prescriptions for each comorbidity are selected and CEA is performed for those.

Results: Diabetes mellitus (DM) with hypertension (HTN) comprise the majority of the sample (37%). Two majorly used prescription patterns are sorted out and CEA is performed which revealed that prescription pattern A is more cost effective than prescription pattern B. Second major part of the sample is occupied by only cases with DM (21%) which is excluded as it does not have any commodities. After only DM, DM + infections occupy a major part (8%). Two majorly used prescription patterns are sorted out and CEA is performed which revealed that prescription pattern A is more therapeutically effective than prescription pattern B but not cost effective. The 3rd major comorbidity is DM + CVA (8%). In this case, the results demonstrated that prescription pattern A is more cost effective than prescription pattern B.

Conclusion: The major commodities of DM are HTN, infections, and coronary artery disease. The cost-effectiveness evaluation revealed that physicians are only considering the therapeutic efficacy as a major concern but not the economic burden. This study concludes the importance of considering the financial burden with relationship to their respective therapeutic efficacy provided by an individual prescription.