Usher-Smith JA, Ramsbottom T, Pearmain H, Kirby M.

Evaluation of the cost savings and clinical outcomes of switching patients from atorvastatin to simvastatin and losartan to candesartan in a Primary Care setting

This study was carried out in a Primary Care practice in the UK to assess the clinical and practical implications, cost savings and patients' perspective of switching to generic drugs. In the 70 patients switched from atorvastatin to simvastatin there was no significant change in mean total cholesterol 4 months after the switch (4.07 +/- 0.55 mmol/L prior to the switch and 4.10 +/- 0.73 mmol/L post-switch) and only one patient switched back because of side effects. One hundred and fifteen patients were switched from losartan to candesartan. Seven switched back but in those that remained on candesartan there was a small, significant (p = 0.0006), reduction in blood pressure after the switch (138.9/78.7 +/- 13.2/7.0 to 136.3/76.1 +/- 14.7/8.4 mmHg). No adverse events attributable to the switch were reported in either group and the net annualised savings for the year 2005-2006 were 12,715.58 pounds for the statin and 13,374.40 pounds for the antihypertensive switch, respectively.