Burden of ischemic heart disease in Spain: incidence, hospital mortality and costs of hospital care

Background Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is the leading global cause of death and is assumed to entail a significant social and economic burden globally. This study aimed to evaluate incidence and mortality trends of IHD in Spain and to estimate direct medical costs. Methods Admission files corresponding to patients with IHD registered between 2011 and 2019 were obtained from a Spanish hospital discharge database and analyzed in a retrospective study. Results Admission data corresponding to 814,740 patients with IHD was analyzed. The majority of patients were males, and about half of the hospitalizations were due to an acute myocardial infarction. Incidence decreased significantly in most age groups over time, while hospital mortality rate remained stable (4.4%). Additionally, mortality rate was significantly higher among females (6.6%). Median admission cost was euro5175; the higher costs per admission were found in patients with an acute myocardial infarction and in admissions with an ICU stay. The annual cost of hospital care was euro693.8 million. Conclusions Despite the decreasing trends described in the general population, hospital mortality rate was constant among hospitalized patients during the study period. The higher hospital mortality rate described among females should be considered in further studies and protocol revisions.