Copyright © 1999 by the European Society of Cardiology.
International economic analysis of primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with pravastatin in WOSCOPS
WOSCOPS Economic Analysis Committee, f1
revised June 9, 1998; accepted June 10, 1998
Abstract
Aims The results of the West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study (WOSCOPS) demonstrated the clinical benefit of using pravastatin for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in hypercholesterolaemic men. To inform decision makers, who must also consider costs, this study assesses the economic efficiency of such an intervention in a broad range of countries.
Methods and Results A generalized model of cardiovascular disease prevention was used to estimate the cost-effectiveness of primary prevention with pravastatin compared to diet alone. This model follows a cohort of hypercholesterolaemic men over a given period quantifying the effect in terms of the avoidance of cardiovascular disease based on treatment-specific risks derived from WOSCOPS data and extensive record-linkage data on disease-specific survival. Country-specific costs are accounted for by expressing all such parameters in terms of the ratio of monthly treatment to that of managing a myocardial infarction. Over a broad range of inputs the cost-effectiveness ratios remain below $25000 per life years gained, regardless of country. Subgroups with even better economic efficacy can be defined on the basis of higher baseline risk.
Conclusions In contrast to some previous reports, this analysis based on trial data demonstrates that pravastatin provides not only an effective means of primary cardio-vascular disease prevention, but also an efficient one.
Key Words: Lipids • cost-effectiveness • cholesterol-lowering • coronary heart disease • prevention • general economic model
f2 Correspondence: Dr J. Caro, 336 Baker Avenue, Concord, MA 01742, U.S.A.
f1 See Appendix for Committee members.
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