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Cost-effectiveness of interventions to reduce the thrombolytic delay for acute myocardial infarction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2004

Helle Wallach Kildemoes  and
Ivar Sønbø Kristiansen
Helle Wallach Kildemoes
Affiliation:
University of Southern Denmark
Ivar Sønbø Kristiansen
Affiliation:
University of Southern Denmark
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Abstract

Objectives: The objective of the study was to estimate the costs and health benefits of a public awareness campaign aimed at shortening the delay for thrombolytic therapy in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and to estimate the incremental costs and benefits of an additional telemedicine program.

Methods and Results: By using trial data on the impact of a Swedish campaign, a model was developed to simulate the current distribution of thrombolytic delay in Denmark and the delay after a campaign. The reduction in delay was translated into reduced fatality assuming reductions from the campaign and additional effects of a telemedicine program. The costs of the campaign were based on trial data and Danish unit costs while telemedicine costs were taken from a Danish demonstration program. The analyses indicate that the awareness campaign will translate into five fewer fatal AMIs (sixty-two life years gained) and a cost per life year of DKK283,300, with both costs and benefits discounted at 5 percent. When combining the public campaign with prehospital telemedicine diagnostics, the incremental cost per life year gained was DKK854.700.

Conclusions: Programs aimed at reducing delay of thrombolysis in patients with AMI are likely to have a limited impact on AMI fatality. Information campaigns may have acceptable cost-effectiveness ratios, while telemedicine programs lead to threefold greater ratios. Whether such programs can be considered cost-effective will depend on how life year gains are valued by society.

Keywords

Myocardial infarctionThrombolytic therapyDelayEconomics
Type
RESEARCH REPORTS
Information
International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care , Volume 20 , Issue 3 , August 2004 , pp. 368 - 374
Copyright
© 2004 Cambridge University Press

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