Hoping to explore the economic burden of heart failure (HF) for both patients and healthcare systems, the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) has released a new analysis in the Journal of Cardiac Failure.

The review investigates the cost-effectiveness of drugs, devices, diagnostic tests, hospital care, and transitions of care for HF patients. These costs, the authors explained, are increasing due to an aging population and new treatment options.

“Despite remarkable recent advances in the treatment of HF, the high cost of care limits delivery of effective care,” lead author Paul Heidenreich, MD, MS, chair of the HFSA Advocacy Committee and a professor at Stanford University, said in a prepared statement. “This review pulls together the summary of evidence to allow for decision making that leads to the best results for patients’ health and the healthcare system.”

The annual cost of caring for a patient with HF is almost $30,000 in the United States. 

Citing American Heart Association data, the authors wrote that by 2030, HF costs in the United States are expected to be at least $70 billion per year by 2030, with the total cost of caring for HF patients approaching $160 billion. 

The largest economic burden linked to HF is from hospitalizations and rehospitalizations. According to the authors, 75% to 80% of the direct costs for HF are attributable to inpatient hospital stays.

The HFSA Advocacy Committee aimed to reinforce their advocacy for high-value care and “provide a roadmap for maximizing benefits for patients with HF within a limited budget.”