Burden of First and Recurrent Cardiovascular Events Among Patients With Hyperlipidemia. Issue 8 (23rd June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Punekar, Rajeshwari S.; Fox, Kathleen M.; Richhariya, Akshara; Fisher, Maxine D.; Cziraky, Mark; Gandra, Shravanthi R.; Toth, Peter P.
• Is Part Of: Clinical cardiology. Volume 38:Issue 8(2015:Aug.)
• Page Start: 483
• Page End: 491
• Publication Date: 2015-06-23
• Subjects: Cardiology -- Periodicals; 616.12005
• DOI: 10.1002/clc.22428
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0160-9289

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="clc22428-abs-0001"> <title>ABSTRACT</title> <sec id="clc22428-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p id="clc22428-para-0001">Acute cardiovascular (CV) events have been evaluated in patients with specific comorbidities but have not focused on patients with hyperlipidemia or on the their long‐term costs.</p> </sec> <sec id="clc22428-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Objectives</title> <p id="clc22428-para-0002">To evaluate incidence of CV events, costs, and resource utilization among patients with hyperlipidemia and baseline risk of CV disease (CVD).</p> </sec> <sec id="clc22428-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p id="clc22428-para-0003">Patients (age 18 to 64 years) diagnosed with hyperlipidemia or using lipid‐modifying medications were identified from administrative claims. Patients were categorized into 3 cohorts based on pre‐index clinical characteristics—secondary prevention (SP; history of CV event, n = 15 613); high risk (HR; CVD, n = 47 600); and primary prevention (PP; no CV event history or CVD, n = 60 637)—and followed up to 2 years after the CV event.</p> </sec> <sec id="clc22428-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p id="clc22428-para-0004">During follow‐up, ≥1 new CV event occurred in 43.0% of the SP cohort, 33.9% of HR, and 20.9% of PP; and ≥3 new events occurred in 19.8% of the SP cohort, 12.9% of HR, and 5.5% of PP. Incremental total costs were $19 320 for SP, $20 003 for HR, and $17 650 for PP. Compared with patients with only 1 CV event, the mean 2‐year cost was 30% higher in patients with 2 CV events and 48% higher in patients with 3 CV events. Only 50% of HR patients (with or without CV events) received statins.</p> </sec> <sec id="clc22428-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p id="clc22428-para-0005">Patients with recurrent CV events had higher total health care costs during 24‐month follow‐up for each type of CV event. Total health care costs among patients with a CV event were higher for the initial as well as subsequent events. Statins and lipid‐modifying medications were significantly underutilized in all cohorts, despite the presence of CVD.</p> </sec> </abstract>