AMR finds 75 percent of hetastarch recipients underwent surgical procedures

Arlington Medical Resources (AMR), a provider of premier market intelligence for the pharmaceutical and diagnostic imaging industries, finds that for the January - May 2009 time period, a significantly higher percentage of hetastarch recipients (75%) underwent a surgical procedure when compared to those receiving albumin/plasma protein fraction (51%). Hetastarch, albumin and plasma protein fraction are plasma expanders that are mainly used in hospital patients to replace fluid in cases of severe shock, as may occur with blood or fluid loss during surgery.

The newly released U.S. edition of the Plasma Expander Hospital Inpatient Profile Study also finds that albumin 25% is most often administered to patients with liver disease and hypotension/shock due to infection or surgical blood loss. Similarly, albumin and plasma protein fraction 5% are most often administered to patients with hypotension/shock from surgical blood loss, cardiogenic hypotension/shock and cardiopulmonary bypass procedures.

AMR's new Plasma Expander Hospital Inpatient Profile Study clinically characterizes U.S. hospital inpatient recipients of plasma expanders such as albumin, plasma protein fraction and hetastarch to identify relative usage patterns by indication, patient age and sex, prescribing physician specialty, dosing and primary method of payment.

"The new Plasma Expander Hospital Inpatient Profile Study is a nice complementary study to our Plasma Expander Hospital Purchasing Audit," stated Mary Walker, R.Ph., MBA, therapeutics principal director at AMR. "While the Purchasing Audit enables pharmaceutical companies to monitor the market size, market potential or market influences of plasma expanders, the Inpatient Profile Study allows these same companies to monitor plasma expander users and prescribers."

Source: http://www.AMR-data.com