THE PHARMACOECONOMIC BENEFITS OF CHOLESTEROL REDUCTION

Recent studies show that cholesterol-lowering therapy can reduce morbi dity and mortality in hypercholesterolemic patients without preexistin g coronary heart disease (primary prevention) and with coronary heart disease (secondary prevention), The high cost of treatment per event p revented, especially for primary prevention, raises concerns about wid espread use of cholesterol-lowering therapy. Does cholesterol reductio n reduce utilization of healthcare resources, and can society afford t o pay for reducing cholesterol in all patients with hypercholesterolem ia, irrespective of risk factors? Is cost-effectiveness of therapy aff ected by differing cholesterol levels, age of the patients, the durati on of therapy, or the presence of risk factors? Current pharmacoeconom ic studies support the use of the statins for secondary prevention, an d primary prevention in high-risk patients, and provide key informatio n for policy decision making in the treatment of patients with hyperch olesterolemia.