title: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases in Belgium: a cost-of-illness analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to quantify costs of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases in Belgium in 2004.
  
  
  METHODS
  Costs were estimated using data on prevalence, healthcare resource utilization and unit costs. Healthcare costs included expenditure on ambulatory care, hospital inpatient care, emergency care, and medications. Costs of prevention campaigns and costs of productivity loss were also included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Costs amounted to 3.5 billion euros in Belgium in 2004. Total costs consisted of 80 million euros related to prevention and screening, 1.3 billion euros related to pre-clinical disease, and 2.2 billion euros related to established disease. These costs were incurred by the Belgian third-party payer (58% of costs), patients (10%) and third parties (i.e. employers and supplementary health insurance) (32%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases impose a significant economic burden on Belgian society.
authors.affiliation: Deloitte, Diegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vlayen
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Backer
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peers
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Moldenaers
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Debruyne
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Simoens
mesh_terms: D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control; D001530:Belgium; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D005382:Financing, Personal / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement / Q000145:classification / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity