| ■ Nearly $1 Billion a Year Spent on Blood Thinners in U.S.: Report | 2009.11.13 |
| In 2007, nearly $900 million was spent in the United States on outpatient prescriptions for blood thinning (anticoagulant) drugs, according to a federal government report released Thursday. Anticoagulants are used to help prevent blood clots, which can cause heart attacks, strokes and pulmonary embolisms. About 4.2 million Americans age 18 and older used an anticoagulant in 2007, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The average cost and out-of-pocket payment for a brand name anticoagulant was $65 and $29, respectively, compared with $18 and $7, respectively, for generic anticoagulants. |