The Economic Costs of Heart Attack and Chest Pain
Recently a report was published that delineates the growing economic impact and burden of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS), which is one of the leading causes of death for Australians. The direct health care system costs associated with its treatment were massive. Overall the report found that every heart attack costs the health system an average of $281,000, while every ‘chest pain episode’ costs an average of $74,000.
With an estimated 90,000 heart attacks and chest pain events expected in 2009 alone it can easily be seen that the mounting costs are enormous. Even more frustrating is that so much can be done to prevent such heart attacks and pain episodes in the first place.
The report recommends a comprehensive national approach in treating the full spectrum of heart attack and chest pain. It emphasised that the year following such an event is very important, but that only 30% of people are receiving the needed care and monitoring. Ongoing compliance with medicines and life style changes is critical, and proven to help prevent a second occurrence.
Access to appropriate treatment as soon as symptoms are recognised is vital. Ongoing care continuing through the ambulance transfer, hospital admission, and getting to a catheterisation lab, will reduce the number of deaths and disability.
There are also all of the indirect financial and economic costs to factor in besides death and disability; all of the lost productivity and social participation. This accounts for billions of dollars, not to mention the terrible loss of ‘quality of life’ for the patient and his or her spouse, family and friends.
A better provision of Return to Work programs, local patient support groups, and thorough patient understanding of the need to comply with medicines and life style changes, would all be measures that would help improve the chances of survival back in the community after a heart attack. Improved diet and exercise regimes can help prevent heart attacks.
Better public education and understanding is needed, about what can bring on heart attack and that it is not ‘a male condition’. Nearly half of the cases are women, who are more vulnerable and likely to die within the first 28 days after a heart attack than are men. In fact, more women die every year from heart disease than breast cancer but that is not generally known.