INTRODUCTION:

Spirometric studies of the general population estimate that 430,000 Danes have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is mainly caused by smoking, and smoking cessation is the most important intervention to prevent disease progression. Cost-of-illness studies conclude that the costs associated with COPD in Denmark are significant, but costs of prescription medicine for COPD were not analysed.

OBJECTIVES:

To analyse the societal costs associated with prescription medicine for COPD in Denmark.

METHODS:

The study was designed as a nationwide retrospective register study of the drug costs (ATC group R03) associated with COPD in the period 2001-2010. Data were retrieved from the Prescription Database, the National Patient Register and the Centralised Civil Register. The population comprised individuals (40+ years) who had at least one prescription of selected R03 drugs and who had been either hospitalized with a COPD diagnosis or had at least one prescription for drugs primarily used for COPD.

RESULTS:

The study population comprised 166,462 individuals of which 97,916 were alive on 31 December 2010. The average annual drug costs (R03) were DKK 7,842 (EUR 1,055) per patient in 2010 with total costs of DKK 685 million (EUR 92 million). The average lifetime costs associated with COPD prescription medicine were estimated to be DKK 70,000-75,000 (EUR 9,416-10,089) per patient (2010 prices).

CONCLUSION:

The costs associated with prescription medicine for COPD in Denmark are significant.