Eplerenone cost effective for post-MI heart failure

The aldosterone antagonist eplerenone (Inspra) is cost effective when added to usual care in the treatment of post-MI heart failure, a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) has shown (www.hta.ac.uk). This finding has now been included in a draft update of the NICE guideline on heart failure, due to be published in August.

    The HTA found that the cost per QALY with eplerenone compared with usual care was £7893 for a lifetime’s treatment, well below the standard £20 000-£30 000 threshold for cost effectiveness.
Spironolactone was not found to be cost effective but the authors called for a trial to compare it with eplerenone.