Estimates of Medication Expenditure for Ischemic Heart Disease Accompanying Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is a frequent accompaniment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Co-occurrence of these two diseases is associated with many risk factors, difficulties in implementing appropriate therapies, numerous complications, and high spending for treatment. All these elements significantly reduce the quality of life of patients. The aim of this study was to estimate the expenditure for medications involved with IHD pharmacotherapy in the course of COPD. This retrospective study was based on the review of medical files of 57 patients, 27 women and 30 men, diagnosed with IHD, according to the severity classification, in the course of COPD which was staged according to the GOLD criteria. We found a considerable increase in per capita per year retail spending for drugs. The spending increased with the severity class of IHD; from 27.41 EUR in Class I to 142.30 EUR in Class IV. This spending did not include the treatment cost for the basic disease, i.e., COPD. A high individual cost burden was decreased by a discounting intervention of the National Health Fund. Despite a relatively high drug expenditure, we consider the treatment being cost-effective since we noticed a reduction in the classical risk factors for IHD, related to metabolic disturbances and lifestyle features, as soon as 2 months after treatment initiation. This study confirms that heart disease accompanying COPD is a frequent occurrence, generating high costs of treatment, which relates to the severity of this comorbidity.

<p>Insights into Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease as Critical Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease</p>

“…Recent studies have drawn attention to the economic burden of co-occurrence of COPD and IHD, particularly the high expenditure for medications involved with IHD pharmacotherapy in the course of COPD. 67 In an analysis of German Statutory Health Insurance claims data based on 26,318 COPD patients with and 10,287 COPD patients without IHD, IHD was a substantial cost driver in COPD with the highest excess costs in the age group between 70 and 80 years. 68 In a Sweden population-based COPD cohort, the presence of self-reported IHD was estimated in comparison with age-and sex-matched subjects without COPD.…”

Potential for Pathogenetic Correction of Protease-Antiprotease System Imbalance in Patients With Comorbidity of Stable Angina Pectoris of the Ii-Iii Functional Class and Stage Ii-Iii Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

“…Незважаючи на відносно високу вартість препаратів, автори вважають лікування економічно ефективним, оскільки помітили зниження класичних факторів ризику ІХС, пов'язаних з метаболічними порушеннями та особливостями способу життя, вже через 2 місяці після початку лікування. Це дослідження підтверджує, що хвороба серця, яка супроводжує ХОЗЛ, є частим явищем, що спричиняє високі витрати на лікування, що пов'язано з тяжкістю цього супутнього захворювання [15].…”

Clinical and economic burden of comorbid coronary artery disease in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: sex differences in a nationwide cohort study

“…Patients with COPD and CAD have specific clinical characteristics including more frequent respiratory symptoms, worse health status, and higher medication expenditure [ 4 – 6 ]. However, researches about the impact of comorbid CAD on clinical outcomes in AECOPD patients are limited.…”