Cost-effectiveness of anxiolytics in anxiety disorders
Main Article Content
Keywords
Anxiety disorders, Anti-anxiety agents, Benzodiazepines
Abstract
Background: adequate treatment of anxiety disorders reduces the economic impact, improves functionality in daily life activities and quality of life. Pharmacologic treatment depends on patient’s characteristics and doctor’s experience. The aim of this study was to determine the use of resources in anxiety disorder and to analyze its cost-effectiveness.
Methods: use of resources related to chronic treatment of anxiety disorders and cost-effectiveness of drugs were determined, as well as patients’ out-of-pocket expenses and productivity loss. A one-year time horizon and decision tree with benzodiazepines, selective inhibitor of serotonin re-intake (SISR) and tricyclic antidepressant drugs were included.
Results: benzodiazepines were the treatment that had the lowest total cost ($147 587 MXP), followed by SISR (incremental cost of $2 182 MXP), and the highest cost was tricyclic antidepressant drugs ($155 903 MXP).
Conclusions: benzodiazepines are good alternative for anxiety disorder because of their high effectiveness to control symptoms and because
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