title: PBS/RPBS cost implications of trends and guideline recommendations in the pharmacological management of hypertension in Australia, 1994-1998.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the extent to which "current guidelines" for the management of hypertension are reflected in the prescribing of antihypertensive drugs in Australia over the period 1994-1998, and to examine the cost implications of actual and recommended prescribing patterns.
  
  
  METHODS
  Federal Government and consumer cost estimates modelled on prescribing patterns and guideline recommendations over the period 1994-1998.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prescribing on Federal Government pharmaceutical schemes over the 1994-1998 period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Estimates of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme/Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme cost changes in Australian dollar values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The implementation of current guidelines for patients with uncomplicated hypertension taking monotherapy alone could have reduced drug costs by $45-$108 million in 1998.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current prescribing patterns indicate that clinical practice has pre-empted the results from clinical trials of newer, more expensive agents and that clinicians' prescribing patterns do not closely reflect current recommendations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash Medical School, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC. mark.nelson@med.monash.edu.au
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: McNeil
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peeters
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Krum
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000191:economics*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000191:economics; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000191:economics*; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000191:economics*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics*; D018579:Patient Selection; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000191:economics*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents