New PBS listings for hypertension, glaucoma drugs
From 1 March 2009, patients with hypertension will benefit from increased treatment options, as a result of new Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) listings and new medication strengths.
Hypertension, another name for high blood pressure, affects around 15% of all Australians. It is more common in patients with a family history of hypertension, and in the older population, occurring at a rate of 40-50% in patients aged 70 years and older.
Heart attacks and strokes can result if hypertension is untreated, due to damage in the blood vessels of the heart and brain. Where lifestyle modification is ineffective, medicines can reduce blood pressure to healthy levels.
Amlodipine with valsartan (Exforge®) is now available for patients with hypertension who are not adequately controlled with either amlodipine or valsartan monotherapy, in the following tablet strengths: 5/80 mg, 5/160 mg, and 10/160 mg.
The new PBS listings of valsartan (Diovan®) and valsartan with hydrochlorothiazide (CoDiovan®), and new strengths of telmisartan with hydrochlorothiazide (Micardis Plus® 80/25 mg) and trandolapril with verapamil hydrochloride (Tarka® 2/180 mg) will also provide further options for the treatment of patients with hypertension.
More than 300,000 Australians are affected by glaucoma. From today, people with glaucoma will benefit from the addition of certain eye preparations for the treatment of glaucoma in the optometrical section of the Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits. These listings will allow for optometrists to prescribe eye preparations as PBS subsidised medicines.
These medicines will be available through the PBS if there is a ‘shared care’ arrangement involving an authorised optometrist, an ophthalmologist and the patient’s general practitioner. Shared care arrangements promote integrated management of glaucoma by health professionals.
Information about medicines subsidised by the Australian Government through the PBS is available at http://www.pbs.gov.au
