Antithrombotic Therapy and Direct Medical Costs in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome in Shanghai, China

Abstract

Background: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.

Objectives: To describe patient profile, treatment patterns, and disease burden for patients with ACS.

Methods: A retrospective descriptive cohort study was conducted. Data were obtained from electronic medical records from seven Shanghai medical centers. Patients with at least one primary diagnosis of ACS from 2006 to 2012 were included. Patient ACS-related antithrombotic medication use, laboratory tests, key comorbidities, health care utilization, and direct medical costs were examined. Log-linear regression was conducted to explore factors associated with total direct medical costs.

Results: The mean age for the 6601 patients included was 69.7 ± 12.5 years, and most of the patients (73%) were men. Comorbidities included diabetes (18.2%), hypertension (21.2%), and hyperlipidemia (8.6%). Out of these, 6466 (98%) patients had been hospitalized for ACS with an average length of stay of 14.0 ± 16.4 days per hospitalization. A total of 914 (13.8%) patients had emergency room visits. Of these, 93.5% received any antithrombotic therapy, including antiplatelet agents (92.7%) and anticoagulants (20.8%). ACS-related direct medical costs (in yuan renminbi [¥]) were ¥18,421 ± ¥24,741 per hospitalization, including costs for medications (¥6,776) and laboratory tests (¥1,355), and ¥2,894 ± ¥7,060 per outpatient visit, including costs for medications (¥620) and laboratory tests (¥464). The higher direct medical cost was associated significantly (P < 0.05) with age, being male, antiplatelet and anticoagulant use, and several comorbid disease states (diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease).

Conclusions: Antithrombotic therapeutic treatments were commonly used among patients with ACS in Shanghai, China. Higher treatment costs for patients with ACS in Shanghai, China, involved their antithrombotic medication use and key comorbidities.

Keywords: acute coronary syndrome; antithrombotic therapy; medical cost.