Replacing short-acting nifedipine with alternative medications at a large health maintenance organization

Robert C. Kaplan, Bruce M. Psaty, David Kriesel, Susan R. Heckbert, Nicholas L. Smith, Clayton Gillett, Alan G. Golston

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

In response to recent evidence about the safety of calcium channel blockers, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound (GHC), a large health maintenance organization, implemented a plan in April 1996 to reevaluate the medications of 1349 patients who were taking short-acting nifedipine. Following the intervention, 79.8% of patients taking short-acting nifedipine discontinued use, and 45.6% switched to once-daily felodipine. By presenting physicians and patients with recent evidence about the safety of short- acting nifedipine, a large health maintenance organization was able to motivate broad-scale changes to safer alternative drug therapies.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)471-477
Number of pages7
JournalAmerican journal of hypertension
Volume11
Issue number4 I
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1998
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Calcium channel blockers
  • Drug safety
  • Formulary
  • Health maintenance organization
  • Hypertension
  • Nifedipine

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Internal Medicine

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