The Economics of Cardiovascular Disease in the United States

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and thus its clinical and economic implications are enormous. In an increasingly cost-conscious economic environment, it is important to understand not only the effectiveness of treatments and technologies but also their cost-effectiveness. The authors review and summarize the evidence on cost-effectiveness of surgical versus medical treatments. This evidence should prove useful at the patient bedside as well as assist policy makers and third party payers in deciding what treatments to cover.