News - Hypertension Week of September 7, 2003/ Vol. 2 No. 36

Study: Millions Wasted on Expensive High Blood Pressure Medications

Millions of dollars are being wasted on expensive treatments for high blood pressure when a cheaper alternative is available that works just as well, according to a study reported in BioMed Central Health Services Research.

The study found that vast amounts could be saved if doctors prescribed cheaper thiazide drugs. Atle Fretheim and his colleagues from the Norwegian Directorate for Health and Social Affairs found that the savings from more appropriate prescribing of thiazides could add up to as much as $1 billion in the United States .

Clinical guidelines recommend thiazides as a first choice drug for treating uncomplicated high blood pressure. Fretheim and his colleagues noted that no drug to treat high blood pressure has been identified as being clearly superior to the others. They added that the evidence that thiazides reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease is strong.

Thiazides are also among the best tolerated drugs, and are by far the cheapest option. Yet they are prescribed less often than they could be, perhaps due to the extensive promotion of other medications, according to the researchers.

"Changing prescribing practices is not easy," observed Fretheim. "It requires effective strategies and resources to support the changes. In this case, such an investment could potentially save money, and at the same time improve quality."

Other sources: BioMed Central