Pharmacoeconomic factors in the treatment of acute hypertension.

Strategies to minimize drug costs include physician education, restrictions on non-cost-effective agents, cost-awareness programs, benchmarking with other institutions, and increased physician-pharmacist collaboration. These measures are particularly adaptable to the treatment of acute hypertension, which is often associated with additional avoidable expenditures depending on management decisions. This article reviews the factors affecting the cost-effectiveness of the various agents used in treating acute hypertension, including dosage changes, adverse events, ancillary services, methods of administration, and dosage computation.