High blood pressure is a big deal in Australia. One out of every three adults is struggling with it.
High blood pressure can lead to a lot of health problems like heart disease, strokes, and kidney issues. A report in 2017-2018 showed that only one-third of people with high blood pressure are managing it well.
The other two-thirds aren’t getting the right care, and this has been a problem for the last ten years.
Meet the Quadpill: A Four-in-One Solution
Researchers from The George Institute for Global Health have found a new way to treat high blood pressure that’s just as affordable as current treatments but more effective.
They call it the “quadpill.” This pill has tiny amounts of four common, inexpensive blood pressure medicines all rolled into one.
Dr. Emily Atkins, who led the study, thinks this could be a big step forward. She says that high blood pressure treatment in Australia hasn’t gotten much better over the years, so there’s room for improvement.
Cost and Effectiveness: The Numbers Add Up
The research team studied 591 adults with high blood pressure. These people were picked from ten different clinics across Australia between 2017 and 2020.
Half of them were treated with the quadpill and the other half with a single regular blood pressure drug.
The researchers looked at how much each treatment would cost over a lifetime and also how many heart-related issues could be avoided with each treatment. They found that the quadpill was worth the cost in many situations.
On average, treating someone with the quadpill for 12 weeks cost $342, while using a single drug cost $277. So, it’s $65 more expensive, but the benefits are significant.
The quadpill was expected to reduce the chances of heart attacks and strokes. Even with the extra cost, it was estimated that this treatment would cost about $14,000 for each extra year of healthy life gained.
Dr. Atkins also pointed out that using the quadpill could become even cheaper soon. Australia is introducing a new policy that allows for a 60-day supply of blood pressure medicine.
According to Dr. Atkins, if that supply was stretched to 90 days, the cost per extra year of a healthy life would drop to about $2,000.
She mentioned that if the quadpill could be made available for less than 45 cents a day, it would be even more cost-effective than current treatments. She concluded by saying that the quadpill shows great promise.
Starting treatment with this pill could change how doctors approach high blood pressure and could help a lot of Australians live healthier lives for a reasonable cost.
So, if you or someone you know is dealing with high blood pressure, keep an eye out for more news about the quadpill. It could be a game-changer.
For those interested in learning more about high blood pressure, check out other studies on the subject or talk to your healthcare provider for advice tailored to your needs.
The full study is available in the Heart journal.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that could increase high blood pressure risk, and eating eggs in a healthy diet may reduce risks of diabetes, high blood pressure.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and results showing 12 foods that lower blood pressure.
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