This paper summarizes the key aspects of the problem of estimating the economic burden of hypertension and hypertension-related disease, the use of economic models, and the opportunities for containing the costs. More information is needed on the population-attributable risk of hypertension in various countries, which is indispensable to estimate the part of hypertension in the burden of stroke and heart disease. The population and high-risk approaches to hypertension control also have economic consequences, which may vary in different societies and must be assessed to ensure proper allocation of resources. Cost-containment can be achieved by more selective diagnostic investigations and by opting for cheaper drugs, though the choice of treatment is difficult owing to uncertainties in the quality-of-life estimates.