Actual versus predicted first-year utilization patterns of teriparatide in patients with employer-sponsored health insurance.

Objective: To characterize first-year utilization patterns of teriparatide derived from a claims database analysis versus predictions from an economic model.

Research Design And Methods: Claims data for actual teriparatide utilization were obtained from an integrated administrative database of approximately 3.4 million beneficiaries.

The value of antihypertensive drugs: a perspective on medical innovation.

Using national survey data and risk equations from the Framingham Heart Study, we quantify the impact of antihypertensive therapy changes on blood pressures and the number and cost of heart attacks, strokes, and deaths. Antihypertensive therapy has had a major impact on health. Without it, 1999-2000 average blood pressures (at age 40+) would have been 10-13 percent higher, and 86,000 excess premature deaths from cardiovascular disease would have occurred in 2001.

Assessing the economic impact of chronic conditions in postmenopausal women.

The ageing of the US population and the recognised importance of preventative care has led to a growing body of research regarding the morbidity and mortality associated with chronic diseases in postmenopausal women. According to the National Institute of Health, postmenopausal women have a significant increase in risk for a number of debilitating diseases, including osteoporosis, breast cancer and cardiovascular disease. In addition, recently published studies prompted patients, clinicians and payers to re-examine the risks and benefits of a well-accepted therapy to treat postmenopausal symptoms.

Economic burden of osteoporosis, breast cancer, and cardiovascular disease among postmenopausal women in an employed population.

Background: Postmenopausal women have a significant risk of developing a number of chronic conditions including osteoporosis (OP), breast cancer (BrCa), and cardiovascular disease (CVD). These diseases can result in significant direct (medical treatment) and indirect (workplace) costs. The objective of this study is to assess these costs among an employed population.