title: An investigation of the effect of regional variation in the treatment of hypertension.
abstract: Over a period both a monetary and physical measure of antihypertensive drug consumption has increased in Denmark, but the consumption has varied considerably between counties in any given year. Concurrently, SMR for myocardial infarctions and cerebrovascular diseases due to hypertension has declined. The relation between intensity of treatment and outcome in terms of reduced loss of life time or healthy time is analyzed at an aggregate level within a health economic framework. The relation is analyzed by using a pooled time series cross section regression analysis. Two models, a covariance and an error component model are used. Within the range of observed drug consumption, loss of life years and loss of good health show a tendency towards negative regression on consumption of drugs when controlled for relevant variables such as occupational structure, degree of urbanization, and hardness of the drinking water.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Finance and Policy, Odense University, Denmark.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Christiansen
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Harvald
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Svarer
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002423:Cause of Death; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000401:mortality; D003718:Denmark; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000401:mortality; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents