MANAGED CARE July 2008. ©MediMedia USA
Spending on statins increased 156 percent between 2000 and 2005, according to “Trends in Statins Utilization and Expenditures for the U.S. Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population, 2000 and 2005,” issued by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
In 2000, outpatient prescription expenditures for statins amounted to $7.7 billion. That rose to $19.7 billion in 2005. Statins include drugs such as atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), pravastatin (Pravachol), and simvastatin (Zocor).
Further, the average annual personal expenditure for statins increased about 37 percent ($484 and $661, respectively) during that time period. The number of prescriptions purchased for statins nearly doubled from 2000 to 2005, rising from 89.7 million to 173.7 million. The number of persons purchasing a statin increased 88 percent from 2000 to 2005, rising from 15.8 million to 29.7.