The rapid increase in the number of prescriptions for the treatment and prevention of CVD that began in the late 1980s shows no signs of slowing. In 2007, around 251 million prescriptions were issued for diseases of the circulatory system in England, over four and a half times as many as issued in 1986, and an increase of 7% on the number of prescriptions in 2006.             

Since 1990, the number of prescriptions for antiplatelet drugs has increased steadily, and there are now over 35 million prescriptions for antiplatelet drugs in England every year. The increase in the number of prescriptions of lipid lowering drugs was slow until the late 1990s, but since then has been very rapid. The number of prescriptions for lipid lowering drugs is fifteen times higher than a decade ago.

The cost of prescriptions for antihypertensive therapy increased by approximately £10 million between 2006 and 2007, to just over £510 million. The cost of prescriptions for all circulatory diseases is approximately £1.8 billion². Given the rapid increases in prescriptions for lipid lowering drugs, antiplatelets and antihypertensive therapy it is likely that this cost will increase in the coming years.