Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases in Belgium: a cost-of-illness analysis

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to quantify costs of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases in Belgium in 2004.

Methods: Costs were estimated using data on prevalence, healthcare resource utilization and unit costs. Healthcare costs included expenditure on ambulatory care, hospital inpatient care, emergency care, and medications. Costs of prevention campaigns and costs of productivity loss were also included.

Results: Costs amounted to 3.5 billion euros in Belgium in 2004. Total costs consisted of 80 million euros related to prevention and screening, 1.3 billion euros related to pre-clinical disease, and 2.2 billion euros related to established disease. These costs were incurred by the Belgian third-party payer (58% of costs), patients (10%) and third parties (i.e. employers and supplementary health insurance) (32%).

Conclusions: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases impose a significant economic burden on Belgian society.