ACS to cost $18 billion this year

An access economics report into the costs of acute coronary syndromes has found that almost 90,000 Australians will have an MI or unstable angina this year, costing the economy $18 billion. The report, commissioned by Eli Lilly, found that nearly 10 000 people are likely to die from an MI this year, while nearly 80 000 people will be hospitalised. This will lead to overall health costs from ACS in Australia reaching nearly $18 billion in 2009 alone, the report found. Of this, direct health care system costs such as hospital stays and pharmaceuticals are expected to account for around $1.8 billion, while indirect costs such as lost productivity will account for $3.8 billion. The largest cost is the burden of disease due to morbidity and mortality, estimated by Access Economics to be at $12.3 billion in 2009. Access Economics director Lynne Pezzullo said at the press conference that a healthy population with many people in employment creates a wealthy society, but “if the balance is tipped through endemic health problems… there can be major economic and wellbeing impacts”. The report also found that there were a number of gaps in the treatment and monitoring of acute coronary syndrome across the country that needed to be addressed in future health policy. In particular, it recommended the establishment of an independent national ACS registry, a national approach to cardiac rehabilitation, an increase in the compliance and adherence with medication, a standardised national program to support employees and employers and the extension of rehabilitation practices and further research into the optimal use of existing therapies....