Table 1.
Baseline characteristics, comorbidities, medication use, and resource utilization 12 months before study entry among initiators of different angiotensin receptor blockers
| Losartan | Valsartan | Irbesartan | Candesartan | Telmisartan | Olmesartan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of patients |
127,383 |
183,486 |
80,845 |
39,430 |
35,017 |
26,369 |
|
Patient characteristics |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Age at ARBs initiation (mean ± SD) |
59.55 ± 14.39 |
60.00 ± 14.41 |
59.20 ± 14.39 |
59.67 ± 14.35 |
58.82 ± 14.12 |
58.45 ± 14.28 |
| Male (%) |
52.64 |
52.88 |
54.12 |
52.88 |
52.67 |
54.96 |
| Initiation year (%) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2004 |
21.16 |
23.23 |
25.33 |
7.22 |
21.06 |
0.88 |
| 2005 |
14.87 |
18.52 |
18.68 |
10.06 |
15.53 |
9.15 |
| 2006 |
11.54 |
15.59 |
15.97 |
17.58 |
13.72 |
14.77 |
| 2007 |
12.52 |
14.84 |
14.27 |
21.41 |
16.91 |
20.40 |
| 2008 |
19.21 |
13.60 |
13.42 |
22.74 |
16.57 |
27.46 |
| 2009 |
20.71 |
14.23 |
12.33 |
20.99 |
16.20 |
27.34 |
|
Comorbidities (%) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Hypertension |
87.05 |
88.36 |
88.68 |
85.87 |
90.72 |
91.20 |
| Ischemic heart disease |
19.19 |
20.78 |
19.80 |
27.30 |
19.76 |
18.22 |
| Myocardial infarction |
0.91 |
1.03 |
0.90 |
1.24 |
0.76 |
0.53 |
| Heart failure |
5.31 |
6.21 |
5.15 |
8.34 |
3.99 |
3.30 |
| Atrial fibrillation |
2.37 |
2.19 |
2.18 |
3.06 |
1.35 |
1.21 |
| Cerebrovascular disease |
11.01 |
14.17 |
14.68 |
11.32 |
11.91 |
11.08 |
| Ischemic stroke |
6.08 |
7.72 |
8.06 |
5.91 |
5.88 |
5.74 |
| Intracerebral hemorrhage |
1.13 |
2.30 |
2.16 |
1.36 |
1.53 |
1.39 |
| Peripheral vascular disease |
0.05 |
0.04 |
0.03 |
0.03 |
0.06 |
0.04 |
| Chronic renal failure |
3.48 |
3.15 |
4.28 |
2.10 |
2.51 |
2.24 |
| Chronic liver disease |
10.62 |
10.37 |
10.55 |
10.99 |
10.42 |
10.12 |
| Chronic lung disease |
17.12 |
18.04 |
16.80 |
17.22 |
16.22 |
16.43 |
| Depression |
4.08 |
4.28 |
4.30 |
4.18 |
4.18 |
4.00 |
| Charlson’s index (mean ± SD) |
0.78 ± 1.03 |
0.83 ± 1.05 |
0.84 ± 1.06 |
0.78 ± 1.01 |
0.73 ± 0.99 |
0.68 ± 0.95 |
| Number of different ICD-9 diagnoses (mean ± SD) |
13.62 ± 7.69 |
13.74 ± 7.74 |
13.37 ± 7.57 |
13.63 ± 7.70 |
13.21 ± 7.54 |
13.21 ± 7.59 |
| Number of cardiovascular-related diagnoses (mean ± SD) |
1.60 ± 1.10 |
1.71 ± 1.15 |
1.70 ± 1.15 |
1.79 ± 1.15 |
1.66 ± 1.07 |
1.59 ± 1.01 |
|
Medication use (%) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Aspirin |
28.39 |
31.83 |
29.27 |
31.48 |
27.88 |
27.62 |
| Clopidogrel |
2.32 |
2.90 |
3.12 |
3.83 |
2.28 |
1.85 |
| Warfarin |
1.36 |
1.33 |
1.25 |
1.66 |
0.92 |
0.86 |
| Alpha-blockers |
4.99 |
5.04 |
5.50 |
4.30 |
5.24 |
4.97 |
| Beta-blockers |
40.82 |
43.54 |
45.64 |
47.42 |
44.46 |
41.56 |
| Calcium channel blockers |
56.13 |
59.86 |
61.55 |
60.50 |
60.12 |
62.00 |
| Diuretics |
26.63 |
27.82 |
27.89 |
26.65 |
24.85 |
23.47 |
| Other anti-hypertensive agents |
1.54 |
1.84 |
2.04 |
1.48 |
1.68 |
1.56 |
| Nitrates |
10.87 |
12.83 |
11.68 |
15.74 |
10.91 |
9.79 |
| Statins |
12.02 |
11.81 |
13.64 |
15.55 |
13.16 |
12.21 |
| Fibrates |
4.17 |
4.22 |
4.54 |
4.45 |
4.70 |
4.08 |
| Digitalis glycoside |
3.15 |
3.40 |
2.64 |
3.45 |
2.08 |
1.72 |
| Antiarrhythmics class I and III |
3.30 |
3.33 |
3.35 |
4.15 |
2.52 |
2.43 |
| COX-2 non-selective NSAIDs |
76.74 |
75.97 |
74.47 |
73.31 |
74.47 |
75.58 |
| COX-2 selective NSAIDs |
7.49 |
8.24 |
8.47 |
7.32 |
7.12 |
5.94 |
| Number of different prescription drugs (mean ± SD) |
24.46 ± 15.72 |
25.41 ± 16.34 |
24.48 ± 15.93 |
23.69 ± 15.46 |
23.62 ± 15.61 |
23.48 ± 15.32 |
| Number of cardiovascular-related medications (mean ± SD) |
3.53 ± 2.20 |
3.76 ± 2.32 |
3.79 ± 2.31 |
3.83 ± 2.32 |
3.65 ± 2.23 |
3.58 ± 2.20 |
|
Resource utilization (mean ± SD) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Number of A1C measurement |
0.04 ± 0.20 |
0.04 ± 0.19 |
0.05 ± 0.21 |
0.06 ± 0.24 |
0.05 ± 0.21 |
0.04 ± 0.21 |
| Number of lipid-related lab test |
1.12 ± 1.47 |
1.20 ± 1.48 |
1.42 ± 1.53 |
1.68 ± 1.59 |
1.47 ± 1.56 |
1.37 ± 1.57 |
| Number of cardiac ultrasound examination |
0.15 ± 0.42 |
0.17 ± 0.46 |
0.18 ± 0.49 |
0.34 ± 0.65 |
0.19 ± 0.47 |
0.15 ± 0.44 |
| Number of outpatient visits |
25.62 ± 20.22 |
25.40 ± 20.37 |
24.96 ± 19.83 |
25.21 ± 19.99 |
24.32 ± 19.51 |
24.38 ± 20.08 |
| Number of emergency department visit |
0.41 ± 1.01 |
0.49 ± 1.20 |
0.47 ± 1.09 |
0.48 ± 1.21 |
0.42 ± 1.00 |
0.43 ± 0.97 |
| Number of cardiology outpatient visits |
1.59 ± 3.67 |
1.73 ± 3.70 |
2.15 ± 4.08 |
3.01 ± 4.62 |
2.09 ± 3.96 |
1.69 ± 3.57 |
| Number of cardiovascular-related physician visits |
5.82 ± 6.75 |
6.08 ± 6.98 |
6.23 ± 6.85 |
6.35 ± 6.88 |
5.98 ± 6.84 |
5.77 ± 6.68 |
| Coronary revascularization % |
0.44 |
0.57 |
0.49 |
1.03 |
0.39 |
0.49 |
| Number of hospitalizations |
0.23 ± 0.63 |
0.29 ± 0.69 |
0.28 ± 0.66 |
0.27 ± 0.64 |
0.22 ± 0.61 |
0.25 ± 0.65 |
| Number of hospitalizations due to cardiovascular-related diseases |
0.13 ± 0.43 |
0.17 ± 0.48 |
0.16 ± 0.47 |
0.16 ± 0.45 |
0.13 ± 0.43 |
0.14 ± 0.44 |
| Number of hospital days |
2.47 ± 16.01 |
3.01 ± 16.33 |
2.79 ± 14.54 |
2.46 ± 13.96 |
2.15 ± 13.53 |
2.57 ± 17.20 |
| Number of cardiovascular-related hospital days | 1.23 ± 8.39 | 1.69 ± 9.61 | 1.61 ± 8.82 | 1.34 ± 6.89 | 1.17 ± 7.32 | 1.35 ± 9.37 |
ARB: angiotensin receptor blockers.