To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Combivent And Atrovent Reduce Health Care Costs For Smokers URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/EE80E.htm Doctor's Guide March 19, 1999
RIDGEFIELD, CT -- March 19, 1999 -- A new publication published in this month's issue of the medical journal Chest provides evidence that reductions in health care costs of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), sometimes referred to as smoker's lung, were associated with the use of a unique anticholinergic drug compound called ipratropium bromide. Ipratropium bromide is contained in two FDA approved bronchodilators marketed by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. -- Combivent(R) (ipratropium bromide/albuterol sulfate) Inhalation Aerosol and Atrovent(R) (ipratropium bromide) Inhalation Aerosol. In 1993, morbidity and mortality from COPD cost the United States $14.7 billion US in medical care expenditures, $6.1 billion US for hospital care, $4.4 billion US for professional services, $2.5 billion US for drugs, $1.5 US billion for nursing home care and $1 billion US for home care. The National Center for Health Statistics reports there are an estimated 30 million Americans, or 15 percent of the U.S. adult population, who may be affected with COPD. Just over half, or 16 million, have been diagnosed with COPD, the fourth-leading cause of death in the U.S. This smoking-related lung disease is characterised by airflow obstruction and includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Years of smoking lead to the deterioration of the bronchial passages, inhibiting the easy flow of air out of the lungs. If left untreated, the condition will become progressively worse through a patient's lifetime. "Health care costs for smoking-related diseases are staggering," said Daniel Hilleman, one of the lead researchers of the study. "This new information provides another avenue for reducing smoking-related health care costs, the use of Combivent Inhalation Aerosol or Atrovent Inhalation Aerosol inhalers." The retrospective analysis of two studies, which was led by Mitchell Friedman, MD, FCCP, analysed the long-term benefits of treating COPD patients with three different pharmaceutical treatments -- Combivent Inhalation Aerosol, Atrovent Inhalation Aerosol and albuterol sulfate. The two products containing ipratropium -- Combivent Inhalation Aerosol and Atrovent Inhalation Aerosol -- were associated with a lower rate of hospitalisations than those patients treated with albuterol sulfate alone. While the average length of a hospital stay was about the same in all three arms – six to seven days -- the number of patients admitted was significantly higher in the albuterol sulfate arm. A total of 11 albuterol sulfate patients were hospitalised for a total of 103 days, while five patients using Combivent Inhalation Aerosol spent a total of 46 days in the hospital and three treated with Atrovent Inhalation Aerosol totalled only 20 hospital days. "To our knowledge, this is the first time a study has been able to prove that a bronchodilator is effective in treating the disease and may also reduce the need for hospitalisations," Hilleman said. "If patients have bronchitis or emphysema related to COPD and are treated properly with an inhaler containing ipratropium, it may cost less to treat them. Anyone who smokes and has respiratory disease is a potential candidate for this medication." Efficacy data from the study shows that both Combivent Inhalation Aerosol and Atrovent Inhalation Aerosol were more efficacious than albuterol sulfate in reducing exacerbations. Exacerbations are associated with symptoms that include dyspnea, cough, and change in sputum colour and volume. As for FEV-1 levels, a measure of lung-health measured by a patient's ability to exhale forcefully, Combivent Inhalation Aerosol produced statistically significant improvements in peak FEV-1 compared with Atrovent Inhalation Aerosol or albuterol sulfate on all test days. Patients experienced the best effect one hour after administration for all treatments. "Even those who have given up smoking must understand that continued shortness of breath should be the first signal to get examined for COPD," Friedman said. "Too often, people will attribute their inability to breathe properly to old age and that's incorrect. It's a mistake that can land them in the hospital or emergency room." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. 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