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Table 2 Costs of lipid and blood pressure-lowering pharmaceuticals

From: Improving the cost-effectiveness of cardiovascular disease prevention in Australia: a modelling study

 

Unit price (2008A$)

Number of units

Sources and assumptions

 

Government

Patient

Year 1

Year 2+

 

Pharmaceutical costs

 

Annual cost of low-dose diuretic therapy

$52.03

$18.79

1

1

Average annual PBS cost for the standard daily dose [24] of hydrochlorothiazide, chlorthalidone and indapamide, weighted by scripts provided in 2008 [23].

Annual cost of calcium channel blocker therapy

$163.66

$54.22

1

1

Average annual PBS cost for the standard daily dose [24] of verapimil, amlodopine (maleate), nifedipine, felodipine, amlodopine (besylate) and lercanidipine,weighted by scripts provided in 2008 [23].

Annual cost of ACE inhibitor therapy

$130.85

$81.21

1

1

Average annual PBS cost for the standard daily dose [24] ofcaptopril, fosinopril, enalopril, ramipril, quinapril, lisinopril, trandolopril and perindopril, weighted by scripts provided in 2008 [23].

Annual cost of beta-blocker therapy

$169.59

$47.09

1

1

Average annual PBS cost for the standard daily dose [25]of fluvastatin, simvastatin, atorvastatin, pravastatin and rosuvastatin, weighted by scripts provided in 2008 [23].

Annual cost of statin therapy

$508.64

$178.79

1

1

Average annual PBS cost for the standard daily dose [25] of fluvastatin, simvastatin, atorvastatin, pravastatin and rosuvastatin, weighted by scripts provided in 2008 [23].

Annual cost of statin therapy in New Zealand

$18.25

−

1

1

Average annual cost of simvastatin (40 mg/day) in New Zealand [38].

Annual cost of current practice lipid-lowering therapy

$559.68

$123.37

1

1

Average annual cost from actual PBS expenditure on lipid-lowering drugs in 2008 [23].

Annual cost of current practice blood pressure-lowering therapy

$169.59

$47.09

1

1

Average annual cost from actual PBS expenditure on bloodpressure-lowering drugs in 2008 [23]. Mix of diuretics, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers and ACE inhibitors based on BEACH general practice data [32].

  1. NB. All costs adjusted to 2008 Australian dollars using Australian health price deflators [39], consumer price index [40] and/or purchasing power parities [41] where relevant.