Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2025
Signal Acquisition, Score Interpretation, and Economics of a Non-Invasive Point-of-Care Test for Coronary Artery Disease
Published on: August 9, 2024
Health care utilization and the associated costs attributable to cardiovascular disease in Ireland: a cross-sectional
Danko Stamenic1, Anthony P Fitzgerald1,2, Katarzyna A Gajewska1,3
1School of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Insights
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) significantly increases healthcare use and costs in Ireland. Focusing on primary prevention and management is crucial to mitigate this burden.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Economics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading global cause of mortality and disability.
- This study examines healthcare utilization and costs associated with CVD in Ireland prior to 2016 healthcare reforms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the healthcare service utilization and associated costs attributed to cardiovascular disease in Ireland.
- To analyze the incremental impact of CVD on healthcare resource use by gender and age.
Main Methods:
- Secondary analysis of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) wave 1 data (n=8113).
- CVD defined by self-reported doctor's diagnosis of specific cardiovascular conditions.
- Negative binomial regression with Average Marginal Effects (AMEs) used to estimate incremental healthcare visits and costs.
Main Results:
- CVD prevalence was 18.2%. Participants with CVD utilized all healthcare services more frequently.
- CVD associated with incremental 1.19 GP visits and 0.79 outpatient visits.
- Males with CVD had double the incremental hospitalizations compared to females; total incremental cost estimated at €352.2 million, primarily from secondary care.
Conclusions:
- Substantially increased healthcare service utilization is attributable to CVD in Ireland.
- Continued focus on primary prevention and effective management of cardiovascular disease is essential.
Background:
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality and disability globally. We examined healthcare service utilization and costs attributable to CVD in Ireland in the period before the introduction of a major healthcare reform in 2016.
Methods:
Secondary analysis of data from 8113 participants of the first wave of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing. Cardiovascular disease was defined as having a self-reported doctor's diagnosis of myocardial infarction, angina, heart failure, stroke, atrial fibrillation, or transient ischaemic attack. Participants self-reported the utilization of healthcare services in the year preceding the interview. Negative binomial regression with average marginal effects (AMEs) was used to estimate the incremental number of general practitioner (GP) and outpatient department (OPD) visits, accident and emergency department attendances and hospitalizations in population with CVD relative to population without CVD. We calculated the corresponding costs at individual and population levels, by gender and age groups.
Results:
The prevalence of CVD was 18.2% (95% CI: 17.3, 19.0) Participants with CVD reported higher utilization of all healthcare services. In adjusted models, having CVD was associated with incremental 1.19 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.99, 1.39] GP and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.65, 0.93) OPD visits. There were twice as many incremental hospitalizations in males with CVD compared to females with CVD [AME (95% CI): 0.20 (0.16, 0.23) vs. 0.10 (0.07, 0.14)]. The incremental cost of healthcare service use in population with CVD was an estimated €352.2 million (95% CI: €272.8, €431.7), 93% of which was due to use of secondary care services.
Conclusion:
We identified substantially increased use of healthcare services attributable to CVD in Ireland. Continued efforts aimed at CVD primary prevention and management are required.
More Related Videos
13:07Optical Coherence Tomography Based Biomechanical Fluid-Structure Interaction Analysis of Coronary Atherosclerosis Progression
Published on: January 15, 2022
07:51Hydra, a Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Cardiovascular Analysis and Diagnosis
Published on: September 26, 2018
Related Concept Videos
01:23Assessment of the Cardiovascular System I: Subjective Data
Initial Enquiry
Ask the patient about their primary concern and thoroughly explore all reported symptoms.
Medical History
Investigate past illnesses affecting the cardiovascular system, such as angina, anemia, rheumatic fever, congenital heart disease, stroke, thrombophlebitis, dysrhythmias, varicosities
Inquire about symptoms...
01:18Cardiovascular Drugs: Classification based on Therapeutic Indications
01:20Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
01:17Ischemic Heart Disease: Overview
Atherosclerosis, the primary malefactor, orchestrates this dangerous condition. It manifests as the accumulation of fatty deposits, akin to insidious plaques, within arterial walls. As time elapses, these plaques metamorphose, hardening and...
01:11Secondary Healthcare System
01:30Health Information Technology and Healthcare Information System
Health Information Technology, commonly called HIT, integrates advanced information systems and technology in healthcare settings. Its primary functions include: