OBJECTIVE: This study determined the economic burden for nonfatal uncomplicated acute coronary syndrome (ACS) using 100% compliance to certain a) non-invasive or b) invasive and non-invasive diagnostic and therapeutic interventions with class I recommendations in the American College of Cardiology-American Heart Association (ACC-AHA) clinical practice guidelines for ACS in three tertiary hospitals using the societal perspective. It also determined the costs using the patient perspective in the setting of one private tertiary hospital.

METHODS: This study was a cost analysis that included a) costs of patient resources, b) production losses, and c) costs of other resources or sectors, from hospitalization to one month post-discharge for ACS. Several models were constructed due to variations in the costs of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in the three settings.

RESULTS: Using the societal perspective, one model for non-invasive options yielded the following (costs as of January 31, 2009): hospital A, Php87,014 - 124,799; hospital B, Php75,592 - 96,072; hospital C, Php71,969 - 92,148. Excluding fibrinolytic therapy, the lowest total cost would be Php65,000. However, if coronary angiography was added to the models for hospital C, the cost was Php107,154 - 134,574 (coronary angiography was not available in hospitals A and B). Using the patient perspective, the adjusted mean cost for the model which used the least expensive medication was Php96,421 (Standard Deviation = 34,076).

CONCLUSION: The economic burden for nonfatal uncomplicated ACS may range from Php65,000 - 134,574.