COST VARIATION ANALYSIS OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS AVAILABLE IN INDIAN MARKET: AN ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE

Aim: To analyze the percentage cost variations among different brands of the commonly prescribed anti–hypertensive drugs. Materials and Methods: The cost of different brands of commonly used antihypertensive drugs was sorted out by referring latest CIMS, MIMS, Drugs Monitor and IDR. 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 the commonly used antihypertensive drugs like Amlodipine (2.5 mg) 1040.58%, Atenolol (50 mg) 564.10%, Telmisartan (40 mg) 542.22% and Ramipril (10 mg) 478.39%.  Among the combination therapy Atenolol + Hydrochlorothiazide (50 + 12.5 mg) 504.82%, Amlodipine + Atenolol (5 + 50 mg) 437.86% and Lisinopril + Hydrochlorothiazide (5 + 12.5 mg) 403.33% variation Conclusion: Hypertension is the most common cardiovascular disease and drugs are to be prescribed for prolonged period. If a costly brand is prescribed, the patients have to pay more money unnecessarily for their treatment. The costly brand of same generic drug is proved to be in no way superior to its economically cheaper counterpart. Ideally, therefore, the drugs should be prescribed in generic to save the patient’s money and to enhance the compliance