METHODS: The study was conducted for a period of 6 months. Data of all patients admitted to the hospital and those visiting the out-patient department for the treatment of HTN were collected and subjected to CEA. ANOVA test was applied to test differences between treatment alternatives for both In-patients and Out-patients.

RESULTS: During the study period, 100 patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Among these 33 were In-patients and 67 were outpatients. The hospital stay of the patients ranged from 1-9 days. The total direct cost for the treatment of HTN for In-patient and Out-patient ranged from Rs. 4,276.5 - 36,045.78 and Rs. 433.6 - 9,086.8 respectively. Thirty-eight different regimens were prescribed during the study. CEA was performed for all the treatment regimens. All the groups were found to have different Average Cost-Effectiveness Ratios (ACER). For In-patients, the cost-effective drugs were Olmesartan with an ACER of Rs. 213.825/unit SBP control and Amlodipine & Furosemide combination with an ACER of Rs. 2,31.12/unit DBP control. In case of out-patients, the cost-effective drugs were Olmesartan, Hydrochlorothiazide & Metoprolol combination with an ACER of Rs.26.062/unit SBP control and Amlodipine & Cilinidipine combination with an ACER of Rs. 46.25/unit in DBP control. The difference in the cost between different treatment groups among in-patients as well as out-patients was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS: The study concluded that for In-patients, Olmesartan and Amlodipine & Furosemide combination was cost effective in SBP and DBP control respectively and in case of out-patients, Olmesartan, Hydrochlorothiazide & Metoprolol combination and Amlodipine & Cilinidipine combination was cost effective in SBP and DBP control in hypertensive patients compared to all other regimens prescribed at St.Philomena hospital.