RESUMO
PURPOSE: To evaluate the yearly cost in 1998 of glaucoma medications to patients and to the Health Plan at a university-affiliated teaching hospital with its own health maintenance organization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data concerning Health Plan glaucoma-medication prescriptions for 1998 were retrieved from the hospital pharmacy database. RESULTS: The most costly medication per patient per year was latanoprost (Xalatan; Pharmacia & Upjohn, Kalamazoo, MI [$337]), followed by betaxolol hydrochloride (Betoptic-S; Alcon, Fort Worth, TX [$336]), dorzolamide (Trusopt; Merck & Co., West Point, PA [$288]), brimonidine tartrate (Alphagan; Allergan Pharmaceuticals, Irvine, CA [$260]), timolol maleate 0.5% in a gel-forming solution (Timoptic-XE 0.5%; Merck & Co., West Point, PA [$199]), levobunolol hydrochloride (Betagan; Allergan Pharmaceuticals, Irvine, CA [$195]), and generic timolol maleate 0.5% ($132). Cost per unit was greatest for Betoptic-S ($51), exceeding that of Trusopt ($43) and Xalatan ($43), Alphagan ($42), Betagan ($38), Timoptic-XE 0.5% ($32), and timolol maleate 0.5% ($27). CONCLUSION: Variability in the cost of medications may influence the long-term medical management of glaucoma patients.
Assuntos
Agonistas alfa-Adrenérgicos/economia , Antagonistas Adrenérgicos beta/economia , Inibidores da Anidrase Carbônica/economia , Custos de Medicamentos , Glaucoma/economia , Prostaglandinas/economia , Agonistas alfa-Adrenérgicos/administração & dosagem , Antagonistas Adrenérgicos beta/administração & dosagem , Inibidores da Anidrase Carbônica/administração & dosagem , Custos e Análise de Custo , Glaucoma/tratamento farmacológico , Sistemas Pré-Pagos de Saúde/economia , Humanos , Medicare/economia , Soluções Oftálmicas , Prostaglandinas/administração & dosagem , Estudos Retrospectivos , Estados UnidosRESUMO
A triplet gestation was treated with Motrin for oral tocolysis. A significant reduction of amniotic fluid was observed, but this was corrected by stopping the drug. A cause-and-effect relationship was established by restarting the Motrin and observing the same development of oligohydramnios, which again returned to normal with discontinuation of the drug.