A comparative analysis of amlodipine and felodipine in a military outpatient population: efficacy, outcomes, and cost considerations.

Background: This retrospective study compared the efficacy, tolerability, and cost of two dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers.

Methods: Charts of patients who had been on continuous antihypertensive therapy with amlodipine or felodipine for at least 6 months were reviewed. Analyses include mean changes in blood pressure, percentage of patients achieving blood pressure (BP) < 140/90 mm Hg, average dose, and cost per day of the two calcium channel blockers, average cost of additional medication, total medication cost per day, and cost to achieve BP control.