Heart failure hospitalisations cost Tasmania more than $78.5 million a year, according to a new study, released on Tuesday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The state has been named one of Australia’s top 10 heart failure “hot spots”, with 13,100 people living with the condition and a further 1800 diagnosed each year.
The analysis was conducted by the Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research at the Australian Catholic University.
It was funded by Novartis Pharmaceuticals, which supplies the heart failure drug, called Entresto.
The drug works by relaxing the blood vessels, allowing for better blood flow, while decreasing counter-productive stress on the heart.
It has been added to the government’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and will be available from June 1.
Launceston cardiologist Dr George Koshy has trialled the drug on a number of patients.
“It is the biggest breakthrough in the last 20 years,” he said.
“I have used it on several patients because we had the privilege of trying this molecule. I’ve used it for more than 25 patients in Tasmania and it’s been a real satisfying experience for me and for all the patients.”
Dr Koshy said it would reduce the burden on Tasmania’s already stretched health system.
The new analysis mapped the heart failure hot spots in Australia where cases were considered “high or very high” compared to the national average. Researchers found there were about 4000 hospital admissions in Tasmania related to heart failure each year.
Institute director and author of the analysis Professor Simon Stewart said heart failure was the “Cinderella of cardiovascular disease”.
“It looms as the greatest public health issue for our ageing population,” he said.
“Unless the diagnosis, treatment and care of heart failure patients improve, a tidal wave of ageing Australians is set to over-run the nation’s hospital and healthcare system.”
Dr Koshy described Entresto as a “wonder drug”.
“This is one of the best decisions the government has made, to include in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
"It reduces sudden cardiac death by 20 per cent and it has been a real breakthrough in reducing hospitalisation by about 21 per cent.”
The study found regional areas to have the highest rates of heart failure.
Tasmania was one of the country’s top 10 “hot spots”, but Geelong, Ballarat, Wollongong, Albury, Cairns, Townsville and the Gold Coast topped the list.
Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to keep up with the demands placed on it by other organs - usually demands for oxygen and nutrients.
