Authors: Rani Kumari Beck, Ratan Kumar, Vibhakar Kumar, Shweta Kachhap
Aim: Hypertension is a global public health problem. To decrease its morbidity and mortality it needs lifelong treatment. There is a wide range of variation in the prices of antihypertensive drugs marketed in India. Thus, a study was planned to evaluate the difference in cost of different brands of same active drug by calculating percentage variation of cost. Materials and Methods: The cost of different brands of commonly used antihypertensive drugs was sorted out by referring latest CIMS, MIMS and Drug Today. The cost of 10 dosage forms (Tablets/Capsules) in INR of each brand, cost Ratio and percentage Cost Variation were calculated. Results: The percentage variation in the cost was above 100% with most of single drug therapy for hypertension and is 42 out of 69. It’s found maximum in Atenolol (12.5mg) 880%, Amlodipine (5mg) 460%, Nifidipine (30mg) 456.29% and Diltiazem (90mg) 407.02%. Among the combination therapy percentage variation in the cost was above 100% in 16 out of 26. It’s found maximum in Lisinopril+Hydrochlorothiazide (5mg+12.5mg) 926%, Telmisartan+Hydrochlorothiazide (40mg+12.5mg) 254.75%, Amlodipine+Losartan (5mg+50mg) 246.96% and Amlodipine+Enalapril (5mg+5mg) 217.20%. Conclusion: The average percentage price variation of the same molecules of antihypertensive drugs manufactured by different pharmaceuticals company in India is very wide. So, government, pharmaceutical company, marketing manager and prescribing doctors should think about variation of cost and do needful for providing maximum benefits to the patients receiving antihypertensive drugs. Keywords: Cost analysis, Antihypertensive drugs, Price variation, Brands.
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