Economic burden of cardiovascular disease in the Russian Federation

Aim. To analyze the social and economic burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the Russian Federation for the period of 2006-2009. Material and methods. The analysis of the economic CVD burden included direct spending and economic loss related to CVD. Direct spending included hospitalization, ambulance service use, out-patient visits, high medical technologies, and out-patient pharmaceutical treatment. Economic loss included the loss in gross domestic product (GDP) due to death or disability in working-age people, as well as the disability benefits. Results. Total economic burden of CVD for 2008-2009 exceeded 1 trillion RUB, or 3 % of GDP for the respective period. Only one-fifth (21,3 %) of total economic burden of CVD in 2009 was represented by direct costs of the healthcare system. As much as 78,7 % of the total economic burden of CVD was represented by such indirect costs as economic loss, mostly due to premature mortality in working-age men. Conclusion. Substantial economic burden of CVD in the Russian Federation requires increased funding of preventive programs, aimed at CVD risk reduction, and healthcare optimization programs. This increased funding should facilitate mortality risk reduction in the working-age population.