Hospitalization Costs associated with Hypertension as a Secondary Diagnosis

1. Hospitalization Costs associated with Hypertension as a Secondary Diagnosis Guijing Wang, PhD Applied Research and Evaluation Branch Zefeng Zhang, PhD, Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch Carma Ayala, PhD Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention This presentation will be on estimating hospitalization costs associated with hypertension. For patients admitted into hospital, hypertension is often listed as a secondary diagnosis. In fact, from the date set we used here, over 95% of the hypertensive in-patients list hypertension as a secondary diagnosis. For these patients, what is the costs due to hypertension? It is an important and practical question, but few researchers has investigated in this area. Before going any further, I would like to thank my coauthors. Dr. Zefeng Zhang is our data analyst, and Dr. Carma Ayala is our senior epidemiologist. We worked closely in analyzing and interpreting the data. This presentation will be on estimating hospitalization costs associated with hypertension. For patients admitted into hospital, hypertension is often listed as a secondary diagnosis. In fact, from the date set we used here, over 95% of the hypertensive in-patients list hypertension as a secondary diagnosis. For these patients, what is the costs due to hypertension? It is an important and practical question, but few researchers has investigated in this area. Before going any further, I would like to thank my coauthors. Dr. Zefeng Zhang is our data analyst, and Dr. Carma Ayala is our senior epidemiologist. We worked closely in analyzing and interpreting the data.

2. Objectives To estimate hospitalization costs associated with hypertension when the first diagnosis is not hypertension To investigate hypertension associated costs among various patient groups such as patients of ischemic heart disease and stroke There are two major objectives for this investigation: One is to explore how much of the hospitalization costs associated with hypertension for patients with hypertension listed as a secondary diagnosis, and the primary diagnosis is not hypertension. As we said, over 95% of the hypertensive patients list hypertension as a secondary diagnosis. Therefore, the costs associated with hypertension among these patients are major costs of hypertension. Second objective is to have a better understanding of the relationship between hypertension and cardiovascular diseases from medical costs perspective, specifically here, how can we link the hypertension with ischemic heart disease and stroke in terms of medical costs. That is how much of the costs of ischemic heart disease is associated with hypertension. There are two major objectives for this investigation: One is to explore how much of the hospitalization costs associated with hypertension for patients with hypertension listed as a secondary diagnosis, and the primary diagnosis is not hypertension. As we said, over 95% of the hypertensive patients list hypertension as a secondary diagnosis. Therefore, the costs associated with hypertension among these patients are major costs of hypertension. Second objective is to have a better understanding of the relationship between hypertension and cardiovascular diseases from medical costs perspective, specifically here, how can we link the hypertension with ischemic heart disease and stroke in terms of medical costs. That is how much of the costs of ischemic heart disease is associated with hypertension.

3. Some basic concepts Cost of Illness (COI) � incremental or attributable costs due to diseases Type of costs Direct costs (e.g., diagnoses, medication, hospitalization, physician visits) Indirect costs (e.g., productivity loss) Intangible costs (e.g., pain and suffering)