Effective Health Care

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Effective Health Care Program: Creating a Dynamic System for Discovering and Reporting What Works in Health Care. J. Slutsky, C. Clancy, American Journal of Medical Quality 20(6): November/December 2005, 358-360. Discusses AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program, created by Congress to develop evidence about the effectiveness and comparative effectiveness of different treatments and clinical approaches to significant health problems and to communicate findings to a wide variety of audiences, including consumers. (AHRQ 06-R022)

The Challenge of Comparative Effectiveness: Getting the Right Information to the Right People at the Right Time. M. Coopey, M. James, W. Lawrence, C. Clancy, Journal of Nursing Care Quality 23(1): January/March 2008, 1-5. Discusses the meaning of effectiveness in health care and describes how prior investments in outcomes research were used as a foundation for AHRQ's Effective Health Care program. (AHRQ 08-R031)

Effective Health Care Program Booklet. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, January 2006. Booklet discusses the Effective Health Care Program, which focus on a core set of priority health conditions. Describes the process of synthesizing, generating, and translating knowledge on topics concerning the particular topics. (AHRQ 06-EHC002)

Effective Health Care Program Kit. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, June 2006 (updated monthly). Includes fact sheets, background information, and report summaries from the Effective Health Care Program. (AHRQ 06-EHC004)

A Progress Report on AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program: Commentary. C. Clancy, J. Slutsky, Health Services Research 42(5): October 2007, xi-xix. Provides an update on the progress of AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program, describes the interest that the program has garnered recently, and discusses some observations about the program since its inception in 2003. (AHRQ 08-R006)

User's Guide to Registries Evaluating Patient Outcomes: Summary. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, April 2007, 219 pp. Serves as a guide to the design, implementation, analysis, interpretation, and evaluation of the quality of a registry for understanding patient outcomes. Report (AHRQ 07-EHC001-1) Summary (AHRQ 07-EHC001-2)

Clinican and Patient Guides

ACEIs or ARBs for Adults with Hypertension: Clinician's Guide. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, October 2007, 2 pp. Summarizes evidence comparing the effectiveness and safety of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor antagonists when used by adults with essential hypertension. (AHRQ 08-EHC003-3)

Antidepressant Medicines: A Guide for Adults with Depression. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, August 2007, 9 pp. Booklet provides information to help adult patients work with their doctors to choose medicines for depression. Describes the various medications used to treat adults with depression, possible side effects, and cost of the drugs. (AHRQ 07(08)-EHC007-2A)

Choosing Antidepressants for Adults: Clinician's Guide. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, August 2007, 4 pp. Summarizes clinical research comparing the effectiveness and safety of commonly used antidepressants for adults with major depression. (AHRQ 07-EHC007-3)

Choosing Non-Opioid Analgesics for Osteoarthritis: Clinician's Guide. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, January 2007, 4 pp. Summarizes clinical evidence on the effectiveness and safety of non-opioid analgesics for osteoarthritis based on a systematic review of 351 research publications. (AHRQ 06(07)-EHC009-3)

Choosing Pain Medicine for Osteoarthritis: A Guide for Consumers. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, January 2007, 9 pp. Booklet describes the different kinds of pain relievers that are available to treat osteoarthritis and presents information about the trade-offs between pain relief, potential side-effects, and medication cost. (AHRQ 06(07)-EHC009-2A). Spanish language booklet (AHRQ 06(08)-EHC009-2B)

Comparing Oral Medications for Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: Clinican's Guide. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, December 2007, 4 pp. Summarizes evidence from both observational studies and controlled trials that compared the effectiveness and safety of oral hypoglycemic medications. (AHRQ 07(08)-EHC010-3)

Comparing Two Kinds of Blood Pressure Pills: ACEIs and ARBs: A Guide for Adults. Booklet describes two kinds of pills used to treat high blood pressure, ACE inhibitors (ACEIs) and ARBs and presents information to help patients talk about these drugs with their doctors. (AHRQ 08-EHC003-2A)

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Comparing Health Care Choices, December 2005. Provides information for patients who have more severe GERD and are being treated by a doctor or other health care provider. (AHRQ 06-EHC003-A). Spanish language booklet (AHRQ 06-EHC003-B)

Management of Atherosclerotic Renal Artery Stenosis: Clinician's Guide. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, March 2007, 2-sided sheet. Summarizes clinical evidence from 56 studies on the effectiveness and safety of angioplasty and medical therapy for treating atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis. (AHRQ 07-EHC004-3)

Pills for Type 2 Diabetes: A Guide for Adults. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, December 2007, 13 pp. Booklet describes the various medications used to treat type 2 diabetes—including how they work, possible side effects, and cost—and presents information to help patients talk about these drugs with their doctors. (AHRQ 07(08)-EHC010-2A)

Renal Artery Stenosis Treatments: A Guide for Consumers. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, June 2007, 8 pp. Provides information to assist patients in talking with their clinicians about treatments for renal artery stenosis and discusses problems that may be caused by the condition. (AHRQ 07-EHC004-2A)

Comparative Effectiveness Reviews

Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Analgesics for Osteoarthritis. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Executive Summary, No. 4, September 2006, 12 pp. Summarizes the available evidence comparing the benefits and harms of analgesics in the treatment of osteoarthritis. (AHRQ 06-EHC009-1)

Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Oral Diabetes Medications for Adults with Type 2 Diabetes. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Executive Summary, No. 8, July 2007, 16 pp. Summarizes the available evidence on the safety and effectiveness of oral diabetes medications used by adults with type 2 diabetes. (AHRQ 07-EHC010-1).

Comparative Effectiveness of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (ACEIs) and Angiotensin II Receptor Antagonists (ARBs) for Treating Essential Hypertension. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Executive Summary, No. 10, November 2007, 5 pp. Summarizes the evidence on the comparative long-term benefits and harms of ACEIs vs. ARBs, focusing on their use for treating essential hypertension in adults. (AHRQ 08-EHC003-1)

Comparative Effectiveness of Drug Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis and Psoriatic Arthritis in Adults. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Executive Summary, No. 11, November 2007, 11 pp. Summarizes the evidence on the comparative efficacy, effectiveness, and harms of corticosteroids and synthetic and biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs in the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis. (AHRQ 08-EHC004-1)

Comparative Effectiveness of Epoetin and Darbeopetin for Managing Anemia in Patients Undergoing Cancer Treatment. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Executive Summary, No. 3, May 2006. Focuses on use of epoetin and darbepoetin to manage anemia in patients undergoing cancer treatment with chemotherapy and/or radiation. (AHRQ 06-EHC008-1)

Comparative Effectiveness of Management Strategies for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Executive Summary, No. 1, December 2005, 6 pp. Examines alternatives for managing the chronic symptoms of uncomplicated gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in patients who may require long-term treatment. (AHRQ 06-EHC003-1)

Comparative Effectiveness of Management Strategies for Renal Artery Stenosis. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Executive Summary, No. 5, October 2006, 12 pp. Summarizes the evidence evaluating the effect and safety of angioplasty with stent placements and medical therapies in the treatment of antherosclerotic renal artery stenosis, particularly after long-term followup. (AHRQ 06-EHC004-1).

Comparative Effectiveness of Management Strategies for Renal Artery Stenosis: 2007 Update. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Executive Summary, No. 5, Update, November 2007. Evaluates the same questions, using the same eligibility criteria, as the previous review to update the literature search through April 23, 2007. (AHRQ 07(08)-EHC004-1U).

Comparative Effectiveness of Percutaneous Coronary Interventions and Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting for Coronary Artery Disease. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Executive Summary, No. 9, October 2007, 16 pp. Evaluates the evidence for the comparative effectiveness of percutaneous coronary interventions and coronary artery bypass graft surgery in patients with certain types of coronary artery disease. (AHRQ 08-EHC002-1)

Comparative Effectiveness of Second-Generation Antidepressants in the Pharmacologic Treatment of Adult Depression. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Executive Summary, No. 7, January 2007, 16 pp. summarizes the available evidence on the comparative efficacy, effectiveness, and harms of 12 second-generation antidepressants in treating adult patients with depression. (AHRQ 07-EHC007-1)

Comparative Effectiveness of Therapies for Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Executive Summary, No. 13, February 2008, 20 pp. Summarizes the evidence comparing the benefits and harms of treatments for clinically localized prostate cancer, including watchful waiting, surgery to remove the prostate gland, external beam radiotherapy, interstitial radiotherapy, freezing the prostate, and androgen derivation therapy. (AHRQ 08-EHC010-1)

Comparative Effectiveness of Treatments to Prevent Fractures in Men and Women with Low Bone Density or Osteoporosis. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Executive Summary, No. 12, December 2007, 6 pp. Summarizes the available evidence comparing the efficacy and safety of agents used to prevent or treat low bone density, including osteoporosis. (AHRQ 08-EHC008-1)

Effectiveness of Noninvasive Diagnostic Tests for Breast Abnormalities. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Executive Summary, No. 2, February 2006. Summarizes available data on the performance of noninvasive diagnostic tests in the evaluation of women presenting with breast abnormalities that suggest the possibility of breast cancer. (AHRQ 06-EHC005-1)

Efficacy and Comparative Effectiveness of Off-Label Use of Atypical Antipsychotics. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Executive Summary, No. 6, January 2007, 8 pp. Reviews the scientific evidence on the safety and effectiveness of atypical antipsychotics for the following conditions: dementia and severe geriatric agitation, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and personality disorders, as well as the management of Tourette's syndrome and autism in children. (AHRQ 07-EHC003-1) Summary for Clinicians and Policymakers, July 2007, 4 pp. (AHRQ 07-EHC003-2)

Comparative Effectiveness Reviews.

These final reports are systematic appraisals of existing scientific evidence regarding treatments for high-priority health conditions. They identify gaps in existing scientific evidence and support new research. The full reports and summaries are available at http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/.

AHRQ Publications Order Form

Return to Contents
Proceed to Next Section