STAT+: High blood pressure pills are costly — but also hard to find — in some lower-income countries
A clutch of serious challenges — high prices, a lack of effective combination pills, and a failure to register some medicines with government authorities — has restricted access to many high blood pressure drugs in a sample of low and middle-income countries, a new analysis finds.
As a result, the ability to control a widespread medical condition that is a risk factor for the leading cause of death worldwide is being hindered, according to the analysis conducted by the nonprofit Resolve to Save Lives and Doctors Without Borders. The groups noted that nearly three-quarters of all people who have high blood pressure live in low- and middle-income countries, but less than 10% are effectively treated.
