Rising rates of hypertension driving growth in cardiac drugs market

The rising rate of cardiac diseases in India has driven the growth of the hypertension drugs market over the past five years. The anti-hypertensives segment alone recorded a 7% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) from April 2020 to April 2024, according to data from Pharmatrac, a data analysis company.

"The cardiac segment is showing a solid CAGR for the last five years. This reflects the rise in lifestyle diseases, increased medical awareness, and people's willingness to treat these conditions,” said Sheetal Sapale, Vice President at Pharmarack.

Sapale pointed out that pharmaceuticals that are part of the daily self-care routine for hypertension patients are now often obtained online. This shift is due to the convenience of refilling prescriptions on a monthly basis, as these medications are typically needed for life.

"The manufacturing process of many anti-hypertensive drugs doesn’t require special infrastructure, thereby attracting many small players to enter this evolving segment,” added Sapale.

The growth rate of the market value of anti-hypertensives recorded fluctuations over the years but maintained a stable demand overall, according to Pharmatrac data. Other products driving the growth of the cardiac segment included lipid-lowering drugs, heparins, and cardiac therapy medications. However, these segments experienced varying growth rates in market values.

"As recorded for the period from 2020 to 2024, the cardiac segment grew at a 9% CAGR, and the total hypertension drugs market witnessed an 8% CAGR in market value," said Sapale, adding that the trends underline the increasing need and continuous demand for hypertension drugs in the country.

WHO's data estimates that over 294 million individuals in the South-East Asia region suffer from hypertension. Risk factors such as high salt intake, smoking and alcohol consumption, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, stress, and air pollution are increasing the prevalence of hypertension. Nearly 27% of all deaths in India are attributed to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), according to WHO.

"Several nations have set targets to improve the management of hypertension and diabetes within primary healthcare facilities. This includes revising clinical protocols as per WHO guidelines, introducing team-based care approaches, and enhancing the availability of essential medicines and equipment," said Saima Wazed, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia.

Addressing the seriousness of the situation in India, Dr Devi Shetty, Founder and Chairman of Narayana Health, said, "Of the 188.3 million Indians affected by hypertension, only 37% receive a formal diagnosis, and an even lesser percentage start treatment."