OBJECTIVES: Therapeutic inertia in type 2 diabetes, defined as a failure to intensify treatment despite poor glycemic control, can arise due to a variety of factors, despite evidence linking improved glycemic control with reductions in diabetes-related complications. The present study aims to evaluate the health and economic burden of therapeutic inertia in people with type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia.

METHODS: The IQVIA Core Diabetes Model (v9.0) was used to evaluate outcomes. Baseline cohort characteristics were sourced from Saudi-specific data, with baseline glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) at 8.0%, 9.0%, and 10.0%. Modeled subjects were brought to an HbA1c target of 7.0% immediately or after delays of 1–5 years across time horizons of 3–50 years. Outcomes were discounted annually at 3.0%. Costs were accounted from a societal perspective and expressed in 2023 Saudi Arabian Riyals (SAR).

RESULTS: Immediate glycemic control was associated with improved or equal life expectancy and quality-adjusted life expectancy, and cost savings in all scenarios were compared with delays in achieving target HbA1c. Combined cost savings ranged from SAR 411 (EUR 102) per person with a baseline HbA1c of 8.0% versus a 1-year delay over a 3-year time horizon, to SAR 21,422 (EUR 5,291) per person with a baseline HbA1c of 10.0% versus a 5-year delay over a 50-year time horizon. Discounted life expectancy and quality-adjusted life expectancy were projected to improve by up to 0.4 years and 0.5 quality-adjusted life years (QALY), respectively, with immediate glycemic control.

CONCLUSIONS: Therapeutic inertia was associated with a substantial health and economic burden in Saudi Arabia. Interventions and initiatives that can help to reduce therapeutic inertia are likely to improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare expenditure.