Cost estimation and physicians' awareness concerning hypertension management: Experience from primary care centres

Objective: To assess the cost of management of hypertension, and the awareness of primary health care centres' physicians about aspects of its cost. Methods: A sample of primary health care centres registered hypertensive patients and all physicians working in these centres at Al-Khobar city, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia was chosen. The direct cost of management of hypertension was calculated using a standard formula. Primary health care physicians' knowledge about prevalence of hypertension, five commonly prescribed antihypertensive drugs and their cost, and the cost of investigations used to assess hypertension, were recorded using a self-administered structured questionnaire. Results: The total cost of management of hypertension in the primary health care centres was estimated as one million Saudi Riyals per year, of which 67% was contributed for by the cost of consultation and 17% and 16% by the costs of drugs and investigations, respectively. Most physicians exhibited poor knowledge about the prevalence of hypertension, and little awareness about the cost of commonly used antihypertensive drugs, and investigations. Conclusion: The cost of management of hypertension in the primary health care centres, in Al-Khobar city is high; while working physicians showed little awareness concerning the aspects of cost of the disease.