Cost-effectiveness of optimized adherence to prevention guidelines in European patients with coronary heart disease: Results from the EUROASPIRE IV survey
Abstract
Background: This study aims to assess the cost-effectiveness of optimized guideline adherence in patients with a history of coronary heart disease. Methods: An individual-based decision tree model was developed using the SMART risk score tool which estimates the 10-year risk for recurrent vascular events in patients with manifest cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Analyses were based on the EUROASPIRE IV survey. Outcomes were expressed as an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER).
Results: Data from 4663 patients from 13 European countries were included in the analyses. The mean estimated 10-year risk for a recurrent vascular event decreased from 20.13% to 18.61% after optimized guideline adherence.
Overall, an ICER of 52,968(sic)/QALY was calculated. The ICER lowered to 29,093(sic)/QALY when only considering high-risk patients (>= 20%) with decreasing ICERs in higher risk patients.
Also, a dose-response relationship was seen with lower ICERs in older patients and in those patients with higher risk reductions. A less stringent LDL target (= 20%) instead of high-cholesterol patients lowered the ICER to 28,064(sic)/QALY.
An alternative method, applying risk reductions to the CVD events instead of applying risk reductions to the risk factors lowered the ICER to 31,509(sic)/QALY. Conclusion: Depending on the method used better or worse ICERs were found.
In addition, optimized guidelines adherence is more cost-effective in higher risk patients, in patients with higher risk reductions and when using a less strict LDL-C target. Current analyses advice to maximize guidelines adherence in particular patient subgroups.