Cost Effectiveness Analysis of Drugs in Gastrointestinal Bleeding Patients

Background: Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a common medical emergency associated with significant morbidity and healthcare costs. Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) are routinely used in its management; however, differences in their cost-effectiveness may affect treatment decisions and resource utilization. Objectives: To determine the most cost-effective PPI therapy for GI bleeding, assess prescribing patterns, and evaluate the economic burden of PPI treatment in a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted among 200 patients diagnosed with GI bleeding in a tertiary care hospital. Data on demographics, prescribing patterns, treatment outcomes, and direct medical costs were collected and analysed. Cost-effectiveness was assessed using the Average Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ACER) and a cost-effectiveness grid. Percentage effectiveness was considered the primary outcome measure. Results: Injection Pantoprazole demonstrated the lowest ACER value (3766) with an effectiveness rate of 94.4%, indicating the greatest cost-effectiveness. Injection Esomeprazole showed the highest effectiveness rate (96.15%) but had the highest ACER value (4820), making it the least cost-effective option. Injection Rabeprazole had an ACER value of 4296 with an effectiveness rate of 90%. Prescribing pattern analysis further supported Pantoprazole as the most economically favourable PPI among the therapies evaluated. Conclusion: Pantoprazole was identified as the most cost-effective PPI for the management of GI bleeding, providing an optimal balance between clinical effectiveness and treatment cost. These findings support its preferential use in tertiary care settings to improve healthcare resource utilization and reduce treatment expenditure.