title: Direct medical costs attributable to acute myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke in cohorts with atherosclerotic conditions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The cost of acute ischemic events in persons with established atherosclerotic conditions is unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  The direct medical costs attributable to secondary acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or ischemic stroke among persons with established atherosclerotic conditions were estimated from 1995-1998 data on 1,143 patients enrolled in US managed care plans.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average 180-day costs attributable to secondary AMI or stroke were estimated as USD 19,056 in the AMI cohort having a private insurance (commercial; n = 344), USD 16,845 in the AMI cohort having government insurance (Medicare, age >/=65 years; n = 200), USD 10,267 for stroke commercial (n = 108), USD 16,280 for stroke Medicare (n = 113), USD 15,224 for peripheral arterial disease commercial (n = 170), and USD 15,182 for peripheral arterial disease Medicare (n = 208).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These estimates can be used to study the cost-effectiveness of interventions proven to reduce these secondary events.
authors.affiliation: Rand Corp., Santa Monica, Calif., USA. sloss@rand.org
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Sloss
authors.forename: Steven L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Wickstrom
authors.forename: Daniel F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: McCaffrey
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garber
authors.forename: Thomas S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Rector
authors.forename: Regina A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Guzy
authors.forename: Philip B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Gorelick
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Dake
authors.forename: Barbara G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Vickrey
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000150:complications*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy*; D020521:Stroke / Q000191:economics / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*