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Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on Computer Application in Medical Care logoLink to Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on Computer Application in Medical Care
. 1980 Nov 5;2:844–852.

The Cost-Effectiveness of Second-Level Drugs in the Treatment of Essential Hypertension

Joseph V Lombardo, Bertha M Paul, Robert Baer, Stephen B Lewis
PMCID: PMC2203758

Abstract

Using the computerized record system at the Hypertension Clinic, Naval Regional Medical Center, Oakland, Caliornia, the authors compared the cost, efficacy, and incidence of intolerable side effect among four second-level antihypertensive agents: methyldopa (Aldomet), clonidine (Catapres), propranolol (Inderal), and prazosin (Minipress). In the population studied, there was no significant difference in efficacy among the drugs. The incidence of intolerable side effect was comparable with the exception of a higher incidence in women receiving methyldopa. Clonidine or propranolol plus a diuretic was found to be the least expensive regimen.

The impact of drug cost in the context of treating 23 million hypertensive Americans is discussed.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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