Health economic consequences of the use of irbesartan in patients with type 2 diabetes, hypertension and nephropathy in Switzerland

The irbesartan in Diabetic Nephropathy Trial (IDNT) demonstrated that treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes, hypertension and nephropathy with irbesartan resulted in a 20% relative reduction of the composite endpoint of doubling serum creatinine, end-stage renal disease or death as compared with amlodipine and placebo (antihypertensive standard therapy). The objective of this study was to investigate the long-term health economic consequences of this treatment strategy in a Swiss health care setting. This analysis used a Markov model to simulate the progression of nephropathy, life-years and treatment costs over ten years for each of the three treatment options. In additon, sensitivity analyses were performed. Treatment with irbesartan will save CHF 22 681/patient as compared with amlodipine and CHF 13 847 as compared with standard therapy. © 2006 by Verlag Hans Huber, Hogrefe AG.