PHARMACOECONOMIC ASPECTS OF USE OF SULFONYLUREA MEDICATIONS IN INSULIN-INDEPENDENT DIABETES
Sulfonylurea medications are widely used in the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Russia. The study was aimed to evaluation of pharmacoeconomic aspects of use of II generation sulfonylurea medications. The evaluation was based on the results of GUIDE study, which compared gliclazide with modified release (Diabeton MV) and glimepiride (Amaryl). Drugs are characterized by equal clinical efficacy, but frequency of hypoglycaemia was significantly lower against the background of therapy with gliclazide. Cost analysis showed that therapy with gliclazide leads to more than 40% savings. Thus, gliclazide with modified release is economically more justified choice in the group of sulfonylurea compared with glimepiride.