THE COSTS OF REGIONAL ANESTHESIA WITH THE USE OF LEVOBUPIVACAINE, RACEMIC BUPIVACAINE AND ROPIVACAINE

Background and Objective. Currently in clinical practice are widely used local anesthetics, including racemic bupivacaine, levo isomer of its levobupivacaine and structurally similar to bupivacaine levo isomer ropivacaine. The aim of this work was to assess the cost of anesthesia
levobupivacaine, bupivacaine and ropivacaine.

Material and methods. In accordance with the results of comparative clinical trials and expert
evaluation analysis was conducted in two ways: under the assumption of equal clinical effectiveness of levobupivacaine and bupivacaine and a higher efficiency of levobupivacaine compared with ropivacaine (assumed in various clinical situations with an equal volume of solution used ropivacaine in concentrations of 0.5% may be replaced without reducing clinical efficacy of levobupivacaine in a concentration of 0.5%, ropivacaine in a concentration of 0.75% – levobupivacaine in a concentration of 0.5 and 0.75% (in equal proportions); ropivacaine at a
concentration of 1% – levobupivacaine at a concentration of 0.75%. The ropivacaine dose equivalent to 1 mg of levobupivacaine, made when calculating the average of 1.20 mg), and under the assumption of equal clinical effectiveness compare local anesthetics. The analysis was carried out for medicines containing 10 ml of solution per ampoule on the basis of registered prices of bupivacaine and ropivacaine. The cost of levobupivacaine was calculated based on expected rates of registration in the case of inclusion in the Essential Drugs List (0,5% R-R amp. 10 ml №10 – 947,74 RUB; 0.75% of p-p amp. 10 ml №10 – 1421,60 RUB).

Results. Subject to the adopted scenario 1 assumptions levobupivacaine allows you to reduce costs 29.6-56.9 per cent compared with bupivacaine and ropivacaine. Taking into account the
consumption of local anesthetics in 2016 (according to IMS Health), the replacement of bupivacaine and ropivacaine by levobupivacaine will allow you to reduce costs on average by 38.0%. Projected savings when replacing bupivacaine and ropivacaine in concentrations of 0.5-1.0% in ampoules of 10 ml will be 69,305 million RUB/year, taking into account the accepted assumptions. Under the assumption of equal effectiveness bupivacaine, ropivacaine and levobupivacaine (scenario 2), the replacement of bupivacaine and ropivacaine on levobupivacaine will reduce costs by an average of 29.6%. Given the amount of consumption savings will be 34,012 million RUB/year.

Conclusion. Replacement of bupivacaine and ropivacaine in concentrations of 0.5-1.0% in vials of 10 ml levobupivacaine at a concentration of 0.5-0.75% will allow taking into account assumptions significantly reduce budget costs without reducing the effectiveness of treatment. Reducing the burden on the budget could be achieved under the assumption of equal efficacy of drugs and replacement of bupivacaine and ropivacaine by levobupivacaine in the same concentration.

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