Restrictive access to clopidogrel and mortality following coronary stent implantation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In Canada, access to clopidogrel is restricted by most provincial drug insurance plans in order to contain costs. Until April 2007, the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) Prescription Drug Insurance Plan reviewed special access forms before approving reimbursement for clopidogrel prescriptions. We investigated the impact of this restrictive process on patient's filling of prescriptions and on all-cause mortality following coronary stenting.

Methods

We analyzed prescriptions filled and all-cause mortality in the year following a percutaneous coronary intervention among patients who underwent stent implantation between January 2000 and September 2004. We obtained administrative data from the RAMQ databases. We included patients who filled at least 1 presc

SUBMITTER: Sheehy O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2228353 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature