Cost effectiveness of apixaban versus aspirin for stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation in Belgium.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Evidence indicates that vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) and oral anticoagulant therapy are under-utilised for stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF), and patients who decline or cannot tolerate such treatment are often prescribed aspirin instead. Apixaban has been shown in the AVERROES trial to be superior to aspirin in preventing stroke and systemic embolism without significantly increasing the risk of major bleeding among patients with AF who are unsuitable for VKA therapy. This study estimates the economic implications and potential cost effectiveness of apixaban compared with aspirin in such individuals from the perspective of healthcare payers in Belgium.

METHODS: A Markov model was developed to evaluate the clinical and economic impact of apixaban compared with aspirin in patients unsuitable for VKA therapy. The clinical events modelled include ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke, systemic embolism, intracranial haemorrhage, other major bleeding, clinically relevant non-major bleeding, myocardial infarction, cardiovascular hospitalisation and treatment discontinuations obtained from AVERROES. Outcomes included life-years and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained, costs and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) over a lifetime.

RESULTS: Apixaban was projected to increase life expectancy and QALYs compared with aspirin, with an associated increase in drug acquisition costs. The estimated ICER was 7,334 per QALY gained with apixaban compared with aspirin.

CONCLUSIONS: Apixaban is a cost-effective alternative to aspirin for patients with AF in Belgium who decline or cannot tolerate VKA treatment.