Medicines for cardiovascular disease

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Supply of cardiovascular medicines

Almost 113 million Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) prescriptions for cardiovascular medicines were supplied to the Australian community in 2024–25.

Use of cardiovascular medicines

The ABS 2022 National Health Survey (NHS) was linked to PBS administrative data to provide information about medications dispensed to survey participants in the 6 months before and after their NHS interview. Of those reporting they had HSVD, 90% had been dispensed a prescription for a cardiovascular system medication in this period (AIHW analysis of ABS 2024).

Cardiovascular medicines are key elements in preventing and treating cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors. They are most commonly used to help control levels of blood pressure and blood lipids, and to regulate heartbeat.

Supply of cardiovascular medicines

A wide range of subsidised cardiovascular medicines are made available to the Australian community through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), and through other arrangements where appropriate.

Almost 113 million PBS prescriptions for cardiovascular medicines were dispensed to the Australian community in 2024–25. These comprised 34% of total PBS prescriptions.

  • 69% of these medicines (78 million) were subsidised by the PBS, with the remainder (35 million) priced below the co-payment level.
  • Rosuvastatin (16.3 million) and atorvastatin (11.3 million), both lipid-modifying medicines – and perindopril (6.4 million), a blood pressure lowering medicine – were among the most commonly supplied PBS medicines in Australia.
  • The supply of lipid-modifying agents increased by 25% between 2013 and 2023, while antihypertensives increased by 38%. Calcium channel blockers and renin-angiotensin system agents – both classes of blood pressure lowering medicines – decreased by 8% and 1%, and antithrombotic medicines by 11% (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Supply of cardiovascular medicines, by drug class, 2013 to 2023

Line chart shows use of most cardiovascular medicine classes has remained stable over time. There was an increase in the supply of lipid modifying drugs, which is most notable from 2019–2023.

Notes

  1. Medicine supply is expressed as Defined Daily Dose per 1,000 population per day (DDD/1,000/day). This measure is based on an assumed average dose per day of a medicine used by adults for its main indication.
  2. Excludes medicines supplied to in-patients in public hospitals, over-the-counter medicines, and private prescriptions.

Source: AIHW analysis of PBS and RPBS data maintained by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.

Use of cardiovascular medicines

The ABS 2022 National Health Survey (NHS) was linked to PBS administrative data to provide information about medications dispensed to survey participants in the 6 months before and after their NHS interview (see Technical notes for more information). Of those reporting living with heart, stroke and vascular disease (HSVD), 90% had been dispensed a prescription for a cardiovascular system medication (AIHW analysis of ABS 2024).

Use of cardiovascular system medicines:

  • increased with increasing age. Sixty eight percent of those aged 18–54 years were dispensed a cardiovascular system medication compared with 98% of people aged 75 years and over
  • was higher among men than women (93% and 86%, respectively).

See supplementary data tables for use of cardiovascular medicines by drug class, age group and sex.

Use of cardiovascular medicines following an acute coronary syndrome hospitalisation 

A study of nearly 68,000 people examined cardiovascular medication use following hospitalisation for acute coronary syndrome (which includes heart attack and unstable angina). The Australian Clinical Guidelines for the Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes recommend that people be prescribed a multi-drug regime to prevent subsequent events. 

This study found that 61% of the cohort received at least three of the four recommended classes of medicines within 40 days of leaving hospital. Women, people under 65, and those with less severe forms of heart disease were less likely to receive these medications. 

For more information see Medication use for secondary prevention after coronary heart disease hospitalisations: Patient pathways using linked data.

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