The cost of pulmonary embolism treatment with different anticoagulation strategies in Turkey

Objective: This study aims to compare maintenance therapy costs between different anticoagulants for patients with pulmonary embolism (PE). Also, initial and maintenance therapy costs were compared in a group of patients with low complication risk and factors that cause low INR control and high outpatient clinic admissions were analyzed. Methods: Retrospective data of 118 patients with PE who were treated with warfarin for at least 3 months were evaluated. Direct medical and non-medical costs were calculated. Modeled costs of maintenance treatment with rivaroxaban or enoxaparine were calculated and compared. Estimated costs of initial and maintenance treatment with different anticoagulants were compared for the 49 patients with low complication risk. Results: The average total cost of maintenance treatment with warfarin was found to be lower than the alternative anticoagulants (€306.1 for warfarin, €395.4 for rivaroxaban, and €800.9 for enoxaparine). In patients with low complication risk who could be treated without hospitalization, alternative treatment regiments were found to cost less than warfarin treatment (€429.1 for rivaroxaban, €810.6 for enoxaparine, and €883.1 for warfarin). Conclusions: Maintenance therapy with warfarin costs less than alternative regimens. In patients with lower complication risks, alternative regimens that do not require hospitalization could cost less.