Hospitalization Costs for Patients With Acute Congestive Heart Failure in Japan

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Health Economics
• Geriatrics

Background:

• Aging populations worldwide face increasing economic burdens from heart failure (HF).
• Limited data exists on the specific hospitalization costs of HF in Japan.
• Understanding these costs is crucial for healthcare resource management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the hospitalization costs associated with acute cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), specifically heart failure (HF), in Japan.
• To analyze the distribution of HF hospitalization costs within the Japanese healthcare system.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study utilizing data from The Japanese Registry of All Cardiac and Vascular Diseases (JROAD) and JROAD-Diagnosis Procedure Combination databases (2012-2014).
• Analysis of hospitalization costs for acute CVDs, with a focus on HF patients.
• Identification of patient demographics and cost distribution, including high-spending individuals and age-related costs.

Main Results:

• Heart failure (HF) accounted for $1,187 million annually, representing 44% of all acute cardiovascular disease (CVD) hospitalization costs in Japan.
• The median cost per HF patient episode was $8,089.
• Patients over 75 years old incurred 68% of the total HF hospitalization costs.
• The top 1% and 5% of spenders accounted for 8% and 22% of total HF costs, respectively.

Conclusions:

• Heart failure (HF) hospitalization costs in Japan are higher than for any other acute cardiovascular disease (CVD).
• The significant cost burden, particularly among elderly patients, necessitates effective resource allocation strategies.
• Further analysis of cost distribution can inform healthcare providers in managing limited resources for HF patients.