| Author/Editor | Atanasijević-Kunc, Maja; Drinovec, Jože; Guštin, Barbara; Mrhar, Aleš | |
| Title | Simulation analysis of economic burden in hypertension and myocardial infarction treatment with beta blockers | |
| Translated title | Simulacijsko vrednotenje ekonomskega bremena zdravljenja hipertenzije in miokardnega infarkta z uporabo beta blokatorjev | |
| Type | članek | |
| Source | Zdrav Vestn | |
| Vol. and No. | Letnik 81, št. 2 | |
| Publication year | 2012 | |
| Volume | str. 105-18 | |
| Language | eng | |
| Abstract | Background: Hypertension has become a very frequent chronic disease worldwide and Slovenia is no exception. It is defined as a serious risk factor for developing different cardiovascular diseases. Several important studies proved that cardiovascular diseases are the main reason of deaths in more than 50 % of cases in the developed countries. All mentioned facts are indicating that treatment costs in patients with hypertension and cardiovascular diseases represent an important economic burden, which cannot be neglected. It may also be expected that in the next few decades the situation will become even worse. The reasons are the expected earlier disease development due to unhealthy life style and the fact that people live longer and populations are growing older. The mentioned facts have motivated the study, which would enable the estimation of patients' number in the observed population and the evaluation of economic burden when using beta blockers, drugs which have become an important choice in antihypertensive treatment and are also used in patients with different cardiovascular complications. The projections indicating the expected trends of mentioned problems in the forthcoming decades would also be of interest. Methods: To answer some of the indicated questions, a simulation model was developed, which enabled the prediction of patients with hypertension and the influence of this disease to the development of myocardial infarction. Modeling was performed using the available statistical data and published studies. Main attention was devoted to the circumstances in Slovenia, but the results were also verified using the available data for some other countries. Combination of simulation results with demographic data enabled the estimation of the number of patients observed. In addition, expenses for the observed groups of patients were evaluated and, based on that, the economic burden was estimated. (Abstract truncated at 2000 characters) | |
| Descriptors | HYPERTENSION MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION ADRENERGIC BETA-ANTAGONISTS HEALTH CARE COSTS PREVALENCE AGE FACTORS COMPUTER SIMULATION SLOVENIA |