Table 2. Total cost of anti-hypertensive drugs in 16 hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, based on hospital prescription practices, versus total cost had hypertension treatment guidelines been followed.
| Anti-hypertensive drug | Cost | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| (in US$a, per 100 prescriptions)b | |||
| Under current practice | Under treatment guidelines | ||
| Diuretic | 27.20 | 27.20 (1st line) | |
| ACE inhibitor | 67.25 | 15.07 (4th line) | |
| CCB | 86.33 | 57.55 (5th line) | |
| Beta blocker | 6.05 | 11.16 (3rd line) | |
| Methyldopa | 20.61 | – | |
| Reserpine | 5.15 | 59.68 (2nd line) | |
| Hydralazine | 0.724 | – | |
| Total | 213.30 | 170.67 | |
ACE, angiotensin-converting enzyme; CCB, calcium channel blocker. a 1 United States dollar (US$) = 10 South African rands. b A prescription for a single patient may contain one or more drugs.