Table III.

Discharge Prescriptions and Monthly Drug Costs, by Most Commonly Prescribed Drug Classes

Drug Class	% of Patients Prescribed Drug in This Class	Mean Cost of Drug Chosen (for All Patients), $	Cost of Least Expensive Alternative in Same Class, $	Total Monthly Projected Population Spending, $	Total Monthly Spending if Least Expensive Alternative Had Been Used, $	Difference Between Projected and Alternative (Least Expensive) Costs, $ (%)
Calcium channel blockers	65	36	21	4423	2580	1843 (42)
Angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors	43	27	8	2194	650	1544 (70)
β‐Blockers	59	15	8	1672	892	780 (47)
Diuretics	52	7	5	688	491	197 (29)