Health care resource utilization following initiation of a triptan: a retrospective claims analysis.
CONCLUSION: Contrary to the findings of some previous research, the initiation of triptan therapy did not significantly reduce the utilization of migraine-related medical services or other relevant prescription drugs in this retrospective claims analysis. This may have been due to higher and more realistic rates of triptan switching and discontinuation. Consistent with previous findings, patients using concomitant opioids used more migraine-related health care resources.
PMID: 24684641 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy)
Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy - November 14, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: J Manag Care Pharm Source Type: research
Simultaneous use of amiodarone influences warfarin maintenance dose but is not associated with adverse events.
CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous use of amiodarone influences warfarin maintenance dose, but is not associated with adverse events.
PMID: 24684642 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy)
Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy - November 14, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: J Manag Care Pharm Source Type: research
Health care burden of dyspepsia among nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients.
CONCLUSIONS: NVAF patients with dyspepsia experienced more all-cause hospitalizations and required more outpatient medical services, all associated with greater expenditures than NVAF patients without dyspepsia. Additionally, dyspepsia may be a barrier to warfarin use among NVAF patients.
PMID: 24684644 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy)
Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy - November 14, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: J Manag Care Pharm Source Type: research
Budget impact analysis of antiepileptic drugs for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
CONCLUSIONS: Medically attended drop seizures are a major cost driver for LGS patients. Adding clobazam to a health plan formulary can have a positive overall budget impact through decreased medical costs associated with drop seizures.
PMID: 24684645 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy)
Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy - November 14, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: J Manag Care Pharm Source Type: research
The opiate dilemma.
Authors: Jeffrey PL, Lenz K
PMID: 24761814 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy)
Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy - November 14, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: J Manag Care Pharm Source Type: research
Assessing the present state and potential of Medicaid controlled substance lock-in programs.
Authors: Roberts AW, Skinner AC
Abstract
Nonmedical use of prescription medications--particularly controlled substances--has risen dramatically in recent decades, resulting in alarming increases in overdose-related health care utilization, costs, and mortality. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 80% of abused and misused controlled substances originate as legal prescriptions. As such, policymakers and payers have the opportunity to combat nonmedical use by regulating controlled substance accessibility within legal prescribing and dispensing processes. One common policy strategy is...
Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy - November 14, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: J Manag Care Pharm Source Type: research
Implementation of an opioid management initiative by a state Medicaid program.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study successfully demonstrated that a state Medicaid program initiative can result in a significant overall decrease in opioid class utilization specifically for the targeted, more costly agents. This was achieved via the implementation of a Therapeutic Class Management multidisciplinary workgroup that established a prior authorization process implementing limits on dose, as well as identified preferred less costly agents. It further facilitated the direct opportunity for pharmacy-prescriber collaboration for LAOA medication management.
PMID: 24761816 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy)
Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy - November 14, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: J Manag Care Pharm Source Type: research
The prevalence of opioid-related major potential drug-drug interactions and their impact on health care costs in chronic pain patients.
CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to potential drug-drug interactions may result in unnecessary and unintended health care costs. Physicians should be made aware of commonly administered cytochrome P450 (CYP450) metabolized drugs in the chronic pain patient and consider prescribing non-CYP450 metabolized opioid and nonopioid analgesics. Managed care's use of utilization management tools to avoid these exposures may reduce costs.
PMID: 24761818 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy)
Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy - November 14, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: J Manag Care Pharm Source Type: research
Adherence patterns for abiraterone acetate and concomitant prednisone use in patients with prostate cancer.
CONCLUSIONS: Results from 2 observational studies reported high levels of adherence to AA dosing and administration patterns consistent with prescribing information. These findings provide useful insights into the treatment patterns in patients with prostate cancer treated with AA and can contribute to the current discussion in oncologic research and practice.
PMID: 24761819 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy)
Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy - November 14, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: J Manag Care Pharm Source Type: research
Health care utilization and costs by site of service for nonmetastatic breast cancer patients treated with trastuzumab.
CONCLUSIONS: Breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant trastuzumab in the HOP setting had a shorter duration of trastuzumab treatment and fewer trastuzumab infusions but incurred higher monthly total costs than patients treated in the POV setting.
PMID: 24761820 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy)
Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy - November 14, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: J Manag Care Pharm Source Type: research
Prescriber perceptions of a near real-time fax alert program for potential drug-drug interactions.
CONCLUSIONS: The positive response to fax alerts by physicians varies by the component drugs of the PDDI alerts.
PMID: 24761821 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy)
Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy - November 14, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: J Manag Care Pharm Source Type: research
Outcomes and treatment patterns of adding a third agent to 2 OADs in patients with type 2 diabetes.
CONCLUSIONS: This study found that in current practice, physicians seem to be reluctant to prescribe injectable agents for patients with uncontrolled T2DM despite combination OAD therapy. Despite higher treatment persistence among patients adding a third OAD, this persistence did not translate into better glycemic control and may not necessarily be a long-term cost-saving solution. These data indicate a need for more evidence-based and patient-centered treatment decisions for patients unable to achieve and maintain glycemic targets on multiple OADs.
PMID: 24761822 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy)
Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy - November 14, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: J Manag Care Pharm Source Type: research
Evaluation of allergic rhinitis and asthma control in a Portuguese community pharmacy setting.
CONCLUSIONS: Using a simple self-assessment questionnaire, such as the CARAT, pharmacists can help identify patients with uncontrolled ARA disease, which is an important first step to change patients' knowledge about their disease, with an ultimate goal of improving ARA outcomes.
PMID: 24761823 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy)
Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy - November 14, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: J Manag Care Pharm Source Type: research
A population approach to disease management: hepatitis C direct-acting antiviral use in a large health care system.
CONCLUSIONS: This clinically focused, comprehensive, population-based medication management approach affected real-time change in health services, practice, and outcomes evidenced by widespread and rapid DAA uptake, improved HCV RNA monitoring, attention to adherence, and more appropriate management of DAA-related anemia. Timely outcome sharing provided decision makers and clinicians evidence to support current HCV practices.
PMID: 24856591 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy)
Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy - November 14, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: J Manag Care Pharm Source Type: research
Medical and pharmacy coverage decision making at the population level.
Authors: Mohr PE, Tunis SR
Abstract
Medicare is one of the largest health care payers in the United States. As a result, its decisions about coverage have profound implications for patient access to care. In this commentary, the authors describe how Medicare used evidence on heterogeneity of treatment effects to make population-based decisions on health care coverage for implantable cardiac defibrillators. This case is discussed in the context of the rapidly expanding availability of comparative effectiveness research. While there is a potential tension between population-based and patient-centered decisio...
Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy - November 14, 2014 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: J Manag Care Pharm Source Type: research
