COST OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE TREATMENT IN DIA BETIC-PATIENTS

In insulin-dependent and non insulin-dependent diabetic patients, the treatment of a modest increase in blood pressure values has been prove d effective in reducing the incidence and in improving the evolution o f various locations of diabetic angiopathy. This beneficial effect is associated with a cost which can be evaluated by the analysis of IMS a nd DOREMA data. In France, the evolution of the sales of antihypertens ive agents in diabetic patients increased from 117 MF in 1980 to 784 M F in 1991. This dramatic increase is mainly related to the prescriptio n of new antihypertensive agents : calcium antagonists and ACE inhibit ors. From 1980 to 1991, the evolution of antihypertensive agent's sale s was more important in diabetic patients than in the general populati on. In 1991, the total cost of antidiabetic treatment : insulin, antid iabetic oral agents and strips for capillary blood glucose monitoring was about 1 100 MF, quiet similar to the cost of antihypertensive and hypolipidemic agents used in the same patients.