Implementation of a therapeutic-interchange clinic for HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors

Ezetimibe effectively lowers LDL‐cholesterol in cardiac allograft recipients on stable statin therapy

“…Five patients (21.7%) were on atorvastatin (32 ± 12 mg/d), three patients (13%) were on simvastatin (16.7 ± 3.3 mg/d), nine patients (39.1%) were on pravastatin (35.6 ± 2.9 mg/d) and six patients (26.1%) had fluvastatin (56.7 ± 10.9 mg/d). Statin doses were compared using an equivalent efficacy model described previously (14–16); for the purposes of the present study, doses are expressed as pravastatin equivalents (predominantly used in study patients), calculated according to the following equation: 10 mg atorvastatin ≈ 20 mg simvastatin ≈ 40 mg pravastatin ≈ 80 mg fluvastatin. Participating subjects gave written informed consent.…”

The Influence of Targeted Education on Medication Persistence and Generic Substitution among Consumer‐Directed Health Care Enrollees

“…CDHP enrollees with the education outreach were more likely to convert to lower-cost ACE/ARB alternatives than CDHP enrollees without the outreach. Other educational interventions have been reported to positively impact chronic medication use (Cormack et al 1994;Grace et al 2002;Delate and Henderson 2005;Meissner et al 2006;Tran and Billups 2008). However, none of these studies have been conducted in the framework of a CDHP and only one has specifically investigated the effect of education on switching to an alternate medication (Delate and Henderson 2005).…”

“…In lieu of the complexity of this decision making, educational programs may assist CDHP enrollees in becoming more informed health care consumers and decision makers. While patient education programs have been demonstrated to influence medication use (Cormack et al 1994;Grace et al 2002;Delate and Henderson 2005;Meissner et al 2006;Tran and Billups 2008), no information is available on the effect of enrollee education programs in CDHPs. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of a multifaceted educational intervention on medication decision making by comparing the rates of chronic medication persistence and lower-cost medication substitution between CDHP enrollees without an educational outreach and CDHP enrollees with the medication educational outreach in a single national employer.…”

ASHP Guidelines on Medication Cost Management Strategies for Hospitals and Health Systems

“…Based on the literature, therapeutic classes offering the most opportunity for success with the medical staff, as well as significant cost savings, include histamine-2 antagonists, fluoroquinolones, hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, serotonin antagonists, colony-stimulating factors, low molecular weight heparins, and proton pump inhibitors. [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27] Although it is not the intent of these guidelines to delineate an exhaustive list of all potential TI opportunities, the appendix a contains examples of the TIs that have proven successful.…”