Dabigatran etexilate is cost-effective for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation, particularly in real-world clinical practice

Ingelheim, Germany, 24 March 2011 – A new economic analysis, published  online in Thrombosis and Haemostasis, suggested that Boehringer Ingelheim's novel oral direct thrombin inhibitor dabigatran etexilate is cost-effective compared to current treatment options, particularly in real-world clinical practice. ^1,2

This cost-effectiveness was driven by superior prevention of ischemic stroke alongside a reduction in devastating intracranial bleeding by dabigatran etexilate compared to well-controlled warfarin, in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). ¹ When dabigatran etexilate was compared against current care, including ‘real-world' warfarin, it saved 4,733 Canadian dollars (CAD) on average per patient for prevention of events, such as stroke, and the subsequent associated follow-on costs.

Dr Stuart Connolly, principal investigator of the RE-LY® trial and co-author of the economic evaluation commented, "We want to do the best for patients and dabigatran is the medically preferred treatment for stroke prevention. From the analyses reported today, we now know that it is cost-effective too - good value to our scarce healthcare budget."

The economic model evaluated patients in Canada who were treated with dabigatran etexilate compared to those treated with warfarin in both 'trial-like' conditions (using the RE-LY® trial results) and in a "real-world" clinical practice setting, where patients either received warfarin, aspirin or no treatment. In the "real-world" clinical practice setting, dabigatran etexilate was shown to be particularly cost-effective compared to current care. ¹