Table II.

Antihypertensives, Frequency Prescribed, and Costs on Admission and Discharge, Listed by Generic Name

Class/Medication (In Order of Cost)	No. Prescribed		Average Monthly Cost
	Admission	Discharge	Generic	Brand Name
ACE Inhibitors
Captopril	0	1	$8	$28
Enalapril	7	3	$21	$26
Lisinopril	41	74	–	$28
Other	4	1	–	$26–$28
Total	52	79
Calcium channel blockers
Verapamil	13	13	$22	$38–$40
Nifedipine	53	91	$37	$36–$41
Diltiazem	5	5	$40	$37–$57
Amlodipine	17	14	–	$40
Other	3	0	–	$32–$46
Total	91	123
β‐Adrenergic blockers
Metoprolol	36	59	$8	$20–$22
Atenolol	14	24	$9	$32
Propranolol	1	1	$8	$34
Labetalol	15	22	–	$25
Carvedilol	1	3	–	$92
Total	67	109
Diuretics
Furosemide	38	39	$4	$8
Chlorthalidone	1	1	$5	–
Hydrochlorothiazide	22	43	$14	$16
Hydrochlorothiazide/triamterene	6	7	$11	$15
Other	6	12	$9–$14	$12–$23
Total	73	102
Other
Central α‐adrenergic agents (clonidine)	34	24	$6	$22–$40
α‐Adrenergic blockers	4	3	$5–$25	$15–$31
Direct vasodilators	10	10	$1–$8	–
Combination drugs	6	5	–	$31–$51
Total	54	42

Costs are from The Medical Letter, 1999–2000; they are very similar to costs from The Medical Letter, 2003. Admission regimen information was available for only 141 of 189 patients. For purposes of simplification, drugs prescribed under a brand name are included under the generic name, and varying costs are shown as a range. Where no generic price is shown, no generic alternative was available at the time of the study. The least expensive alternative in each class is shown in boldface. Nonthiazide diuretics were likely frequently prescribed for reasons other than hypertension. All of these drugs were available on the hospital formulary.