Hypertension in Australia

High blood pressure as a risk factor

High blood pressure was the 4^th leading risk factor contributing to health spending in 2023–24. Of the total $180 billion for total health spending on disease and injury, $4.6 billion could be attributed to people having the risk factor high blood pressure (AIHW 2025a, 2025b).

High blood pressure was estimated to contribute to around:

• 59% ($47 million) of spending on hypertensive heart disease
• 40% ($1.5 billion) of spending on coronary heart disease
• 38% ($768 million) of spending on stroke
• 33% ($968 million) of spending on chronic kidney disease
• 30% ($619 million) of spending on atrial fibrillation and flutter.

For more information on the estimated expenditure of all burden of disease conditions linked to the risk factor high blood pressure, see Health system spending per case of disease and certain risk factors. 

Hypertension

Of the estimated $180 billion of total health spending on disease and injury in Australia in 2023–24, an estimated:

• $2.1 billion was spent on treatment of hypertension – an increase from the estimated $1.9 billion in 2022–23 (current prices, not adjusted for inflation)
• $189 million was spent on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy – an increase from the estimated $186 million (in current prices) in 2022–23.

In 2023–24, estimated spending on the treatment of hypertension:

• was higher in females ($1.1 billion) than in males ($944 million)
• increased with increasing age, with the highest spending seen in those aged 60–79 (between $241 and $304 million)
• was highest in the primary health care setting ($1.2 billion), with an estimated $772 million spent within general practitioner services and $364 million within the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (AIHW 2025b).

For hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, in 2023–24, the estimated spending was highest in those aged 30–34 ($61 million), followed by those aged 25–29 ($44 million) and 35–39 ($44 million). By area of spending, the highest was seen in public hospital admissions ($167 million) (AIHW 2025b).