title: [The cost-utility ratio of reducing salt intake and its impact on the incidence of cardiovascular disease in Argentina].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Estimate the cost-utility ratio of an intervention to reduce dietary salt intake in people over the age of 35 in Argentina.
  
  
  METHODS
  The intervention consisted of reducing salt content in food by 5% to 25%. A simulation model was used to measure the impact of policies on heart disease in order to predict incidence, prevalence, mortality, and cost trends for heart and cerebrovascular disease in the population aged 35 - 84. The intervention modeled the impact and costs of a 3-gram reduction in dietary salt intake by reducing the amount of salt in processed food and salt added to food by the participants themselves over a 10-year period. Changes in event occurrence during this period and gains in quality-adjusted life years (QALY) were estimated in high- and low-impact scenarios.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intervention generated a net savings of US$ 3 765 million and a gain of 656 657 QALYs in the high-impact scenario and a savings of US$ 2 080 million and 401 659 QALY in the low-impact scenario. The result would be reductions in the incidence of heart disease (24.1%), acute myocardial infarction (21.6%), and stroke (20.5%), as well as in mortality from heart disease (19.9%) and all causes (6.4%). Benefits were observed for all age groups and both genders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Implementing this strategy to reduce salt intake would produce a very positive health impact, both in QALY gains and savings in economic resources.
authors.affiliation: Ministerio de Salud de la Nación, Buenos Aires, Argentina. dferrante@masl.gov.ar
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ferrante
authors.forename: Jonatan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Konfino
authors.forename: Raúl
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mejía
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coxson
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: Elíseo J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Pérez-Stable
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary