Off-label Utilization of Antihypertensive Medications in Children

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Matthew M. Davis (Creator)

Kevin J. Dombkowski (Creator)

Jen-Jar Lin (Creator)

Albert Rocchini (Creator)

Esther Y. Yoon (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: Objective— To examine off-label utilization and costs of antihypertensive drugs in children using a national sample of prescription claims. Design— Cross-sectional study. Setting— 2002 Medstat MarketScan Database a national sample of outpatient prescription claims of children ≥18 years old enrolled in private employer-sponsored health plans. Main Outcome Measures— Off-label use of antihypertensive drugs by patient age and costs of ntihypertensives calculated as mean cost per child per 30-day fill. esults— One-half of the index antihypertensive prescription claims were off-label based on minimum age criteria. Boys were more likely (56%) than girls (46%) to be prescribed off-label antihypertensives (p<0.001). Children aged ≥12 years were more likely to be prescribed off-label antihypertensives (53%) compared with children aged ≥5 (46%) and 6–11 years (42% p<0.001). Off-label use varied significantly by class of antihypertensive drugs (p<0.001). Overall off-label antihypertensives were significantly more expensive than on-label antihypertensives. Conclusions— Despite availability of often less expensive on-label alternatives for the same class of antihypertensive drugs off-label antihypertensive drugs were prescribed frequently in children. These findings underscore the potential clinical and economic implications of common off-label prescribing for children their parents physicians and payers. Originally published Ambulatory Pediatrics Vol. 7 No. 4 July 2007

Additional Information

Publication

Other

Ambulatory Pediatrics. 7:4(July 2007) p. 299-303.

Language: English

Date: 2011

Keywords

antihypertensive drugs, Children, Food and Drug Administration, hypertension, off label

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