International Journal of Preventive Medicine (Int J Prev Med)2008-78021152020062022652265ENHealth Management and Economics Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, IsfahanHealth Human Resources Research Center, School of Management and Medical Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, ShirazStudent Research Committee, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, IsfahanMember of Social Determinant of Health Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand20200620<p><span class="fontstyle0"><strong>Background</strong>: </span><span class="fontstyle2">Today, cardiovascular disease is one of the main causes of mortality and disability in most developed and developing countries. The prediction of the major causes of deaths all over the world at all ages shows that 61% of deaths are due to chronic diseases, of which 30% is due to cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to assess the cost‑utility analysis of atorvastatin for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases using the Markov model. </span></p><p><span class="fontstyle0"><strong>Methods</strong>: </span><span class="fontstyle2">Markov model with a lifetime horizon was developed to evaluate economic and health outcomes for atorvastatin drugs for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases for a cohort of 1,000 patients. The effectiveness indicator in this study was quality‑adjusted life‑years (QALYs); robustness of results was examined<br />by one‑way and probabilistic sensitivity analysis.</span></p><p><strong></strong><span class="fontstyle0"><strong>Results</strong>: </span><span class="fontstyle2">The results showed that the use of atorvastatin compared to no drug intervention was highly cost‑effective with USD173 per additional QALY. The results of one‑way and probabilistic sensitivity analysis confirmed the results of this study. The findings of this study also showed that the highest cost items were hospitalization costs in the cardiac care unit (CCU). Also, the highest cost items in para‑clinical services were related to echocardiography costs, and troponin constituted the largest cost of laboratory tests.<br /></span></p><p><span class="fontstyle0"><strong>Conclusions</strong>: </span><span class="fontstyle2">Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that cardiologists use atorvastatin in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.<br /></span></p><p><span class="fontstyle0" style="color: #00652e;"><strong>Keywords</strong>: </span><span class="fontstyle3">Atorvastatin, Markov model, cardiovascular diseases, cost‑benefit analysis</span></p>http://ijpm.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijpm/article/view/2265http://ijpm.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijpm/article/download/2265/717718102