Healthy Skepticism Library item: 12854

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Yoon EY, Dombkowski KJ, Rocchini A, Lin JJ, Davis MM.
Off-label utilization of antihypertensive medications in children.
Ambul Pediatr 2007 Jul-Aug; 7:(4):299-303
http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1530-1567(07)00080-9

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To examine off-label use and costs of antihypertensive drugs in children by using a national sample of prescription claims. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study using the 2002 Medstat MarketScan Database, a national sample of outpatient prescription claims of children or=12 years were more likely to be prescribed off-label antihypertensives (53%) compared with children aged <or=5 (46%) and 6-11 years (42%; P < .001). Off-label use varied significantly by class of antihypertensive drugs (P < .001). Overall, off-label antihypertensives were significantly more expensive than on-label antihypertensives. CONCLUSIONS: Despite availability of often less expensive on-label alternatives for the same class of antihypertensive drugs, off-label antihypertensive drugs were prescribed frequently in children. These findings underscore the potential clinical and economic implications of common off-label prescribing, for children, their parents, physicians, and payers.

Keywords:
Adolescent Age Distribution Antihypertensive Agents/economics* Antihypertensive Agents/therapeutic use* Child Child, Preschool Databases, Factual Drug Information Services Drug Labeling* Drug Utilization Review* Female Humans Insurance Claim Review Insurance, Pharmaceutical Services Logistic Models Male Sex Distribution United States