High blood pressure cost the Australian economy more than $1 billion in the last year alone, according to researchers at the country's leading independent health institute.
A new study by the George Institute for Global Health found high blood pressure, or hypertension, cost patients and taxpayers about $1.2 billion last year.
The research, which used public data from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, Medicare Benefits Schedule, general practice reports and pharmacies, also found the condition cost Australians $12.2 billion between 2012 and 2022.
Scientists said patients incurred $503 million in out-of-pocket costs for general practice consultations and medications, while $611 million went toward pharmacy-related costs and fees.
[datawrapper]"We estimate that about $1.2 billion was spent on treating hypertension in Australia during 2021–22, and that 42 per cent of this cost was borne by patients as out-of-pocket costs," the study said.
"The largest components of expenditure were pharmacy fees (50.9 per cent), general practice consultation costs (28.5 per cent), and pharmaceutical manufacturer costs (18.4 per cent)."
Some people with hypertension experience no symptoms, while others need management for symptoms like chest pain, breathlessness, fatigue and headaches.
Trend is worsening
Dr Anthony Rodgers worked on the study, and said Australia was in the grips of a hypertension crisis.
"There is a trend upwards in the number of Australians with high blood pressure, which would be impacted by factors such as our over-reliance on packaged foods that often contain too much salt," he said.
"But basically it has been a major issue for a long time and it isn’t getting better.
"With its role in heart attack and stroke well understood, it’s important to try and get it more controlled than we have done, as well as put efforts into prevention of course.
"But a very large number of people in Australia have hypertension that is untreated or undertreated."
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare hypertension is a leading cause of death in Australia, contributing to around 25,000 deaths per year.
"Finally, but perhaps most importantly, 41 per cent of expenditure comprises out-of-pocket costs for patients, which has major implications for equitable access and outcomes," the study said.
"Out-of-pocket pharmaceutical expenses can be significant barriers for people in low income households with one or more chronic conditions."
Dr Rodgers said the out-of-pocket expenses paid out by patients was higher than expected.
"GP visits and blood pressure lowering medicines are healthcare basics in Australia — they should be accessible and affordable for everyone," he said.
"The total cost shows us the scale our health system is handling at the moment, but we see the opportunity for better care and better value."
Researchers said the figures in the study predated the 60-day prescription scheme introduced by the federal government last year.
The policy halved the number of scripts required for some Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medications and, by extension, the dispensing fees paid to pharmacies.
Patients can collect 60 days' supply of some medicines at a time — double the current 30-day maximum — for the price of a single prescription.
The study said while the policy was positive for low income patients, more work needed to be done to further reduce the cost of treatment as "uptake of the scheme had been slow".
"The low-hanging fruit would be enabling more use of [the scheme]," Dr Rodgers said.
"Ninety days is the norm in many countries and recommended by World Health Organisation so we can learn from those settings.
"Expanding programs for other healthcare professionals like pharmacists and nurses to get more actively involved in team-based care is a tried and proved strategy overseas as well."
A spokesperson from the Pharmacy Guild of Australia said there were other methods to improve hypertension diagnosis and treatment already at work in Australia.
"Patients with hypertension are now able to get simple blood pressure and cholesterol checks at some pharmacies and we would like to see this rolled out across all states and territories," they said.
"Last year the Pharmacy Guild of Australia was successful in advocating for a cut in the prescription co-pay from $42.50 to $30.
"This has saved patients $346 million already and the guild was successful in working with the government to freeze the concessional patient co-pay for up to five years."
The Department of Health was contacted for comment.
The work was peer reviewed, and some authors were funded by a National Health and Medical Research Council Leadership Investigator Grant, Medtronic, Abbott, Novartis, Servier, Pfizer, and Boehringer-Ingelheim.
