PCV7 - An Observational Cross-Sectional Database Study To Estimate Hospitalization Costs Related To Cardiovascular Disease In Brazilian Private Healthcare System

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the main cause of morbidity and mortality in Brazil, with around 300,000 deaths/year. This study aims to estimate costs related to hospitalizations associated to CVD in the Brazilian private healthcare system. We conducted an observational research in the Orizon database, which comprehends approximately 27% of the Brazilian private healthcare system population. In order to identify events related to CVD leading to hospitalizations and medical procedures in 2014, we used the medical billing database and sought for primary ICD-10 codes related to hypercholesterolemia, acute coronary syndrome (ACS), including unstable angina and myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease (CAD), cardiac arrest, stroke, atherosclerosis and peripheral arterial disease. Identified events were summarized by ICD and analyzed by days of hospitalization, total direct costs, average cost per day of hospitalization and distribution of cost by categories, including medication, materials and others. In 2014, there were 21,519 CVD related hospitalizations registered in the database, responsible for a total expense of around R$600 million. The average cost of a single CV event leading to hospitalization was R$27.8 thousand, while the average event cost by ICD ranged from R$19.8 thousand (angina pectoris) to R$76.1 thousand (cardiac arrest). The average length of hospitalizations per ICD ranged from 4.2 (stricture of artery) to 16.4 days (cardiac arrest), and the average cost per day of hospitalization varied from R$2.9 thousand (stroke) to R$9.4 thousand (CAD). These costs may still be underestimated, as study limitations include the lack of a standardized reporting process and ICD not being a mandatory information at the medical billing. Hospitalizations and procedures due to CVD heavily affect the private healthcare system, both economically and in occupation of hospital beds, tending to increase due to population ageing in Brazil. There is a significant unmet need for reducing risk factors and consequently CV events.