Cost-utility analysis of a national project to reduce hypertension in Israel.
BACKGROUND
This study aims to calculate the health effects and costs of a proposed national hypertension prevention and control program.


METHODS
Interventions are based on experience from our two programs: 10-year period of Ashkelon Hypertension Detection and Control Program (AHDC Program) and the Israel Blood Pressure Control (IBPC) program. The costs of a nationwide program were calculated based on economic data, training staff levels, course frequency and unit costs.


RESULTS
Over the next 20 years, the program should decrease the risk in one-half of the treated hypertensive cases of the following ailments: cardiovascular events such as Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) and Unstable Angina Pectoris (UAP) by 16.0%, stroke by 41.2%, End stage renal disease (ESRD) by 50.0% and peripheral vascular disease (PVD) by 42.6%. In total, around 2,242 lives, 35,117 years of life or 24,433 disability adjusted life years will be saved due to decreased mortality.Program costs amount to $352.7 million. However savings ($537.6 million), from reduced medical treatment ($444.3 million) and reduced pharmaceutical use ($93.3 million) as a result of morbidity decreases, exceed costs by $185.0 million.


CONCLUSIONS
The project which saves both lives and resources should be extended nation-wide to reach as wide a population as possible.
Yosefy
Chaim
C
The Israeli Forum for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Barzilai Medical Center Campus Ashkelon, Ben-Gurion University, Israel. yosefy@barzi.health.gov.il
Ginsberg
Gary
G
Viskoper
Reuven
R
Dicker
Dror
D
Gavish
Dov
D