Heart Disease Most Costly Condition for Women
Key points
- The cost of treating women for heart disease in 2008 was $43.6 billion, leading a list of the top 10 most expensive conditions for women, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
- • The second most costly disease to treat was cancer ($37.7 billion), followed by mental disorders ($37.3 billion), and trauma-related disorders ($34.1 billion).
- • The lowest expenditures among the top 10 costliest conditions were for hyperlipidemia ($18.0 billion).
- The data in this AHRQ News and Numbers summary are taken from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a detailed source of information on the health services used by Americans, the frequency with which they are used, the cost of those services, and how they are paid.
The cost of treating women for heart disease in 2008 was $43.6 billion, leading a list of the top 10 most expensive conditions for women, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
According to the analysis by the federal agency, in 2008, the top 10 most costly conditions in terms of health care expenditures for women were:
• Heart disease
• Cancer
• Mental disorders
• Trauma-related disorders
• Osteoarthritis
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and asthma
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Diabetes
• Back problems
• Hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol levels)
The agency also found that in 2008 for women among the 10 costliest conditions:
• The second most costly disease to treat was cancer ($37.7 billion), followed by mental disorders ($37.3 billion), and trauma-related disorders ($34.1 billion).
• The lowest expenditures among the top 10 costliest conditions were for hyperlipidemia ($18.0 billion).
• The most common was high blood pressure (29.5 million).
• The least common was cancer (8.4 million).
The data in this AHRQ News and Numbers summary are taken from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a detailed source of information on the health services used by Americans, the frequency with which they are used, the cost of those services, and how they are paid.
###
Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Written and revised by
Andrey Nailor, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
health.am provides general information, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified health professional about your own health.
Explore health topics
More in this topic
Heart & Blood Vessels →
NewsSmall Vessel Heart Disease: Mostly a Concern for Women
Coronary artery disease may take a different course in men and women, which may explain why the rate of death for women has declined more slowly than for men, according to the October issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter.…
4 October 2007
NewsDrinking Daily Cuts Heart Disease Risk for Men, but Not for Women
Men who drink alcohol every day have a lower risk of heart disease than those who drink less frequently, suggests research in this week's BMJ. But the same is not true for women. This study raises important questions…
27 May 2006
News5 Simple Steps for Women and Heart Disease Prevention
The American Heart Association's Go Red For Women movement is encouraging women to follow 5 simple steps, during National Women's Health Week, to take charge of their heart health. While no time is better than the…
18 May 2006
