Impact on society

The social impact

The global cost of heart failure was estimated to be $108 billion¹.

It is easy to imagine, such a high level of hospital admissions for heart failure (1-2% Globally every year) can mean a large impact on a society and its healthcare system². In 2012 the global cost of heart failure was estimated to be $108 billion, with between 69% and 87% spent on hospitalisations and inpatient care ^1,3. Obviously, this can cause a huge strain on a local healthcare system, and presents a real need to try and reduce the number of associated hospital admissions.

Easing the burden

A key step in improving outcomes for those with heart failure, and to society, lies in educating the public and policymakers about what heart failure is, its risks, burden and how it can best be managed ⁴. In fact, a previous study undertaken by the World Heart Federation identified this lack of understanding among patients as the greatest roadblock in heart failure diagnosis and and the highest priority area in the prevention of heart failure⁴.

With understanding of central to reducing hospitalisation and mortality rates of those with HF, the WHF outlined two recommendations⁵:

• Implement public facing campaigns focused on disease awareness, the signs and symptoms of heart failure and the associated risk of co-morbidities
• Issue a National Strategy and its impact on those with heart failure, the health system and society, outlining steps for improving outcomes for those living with the disease and reducing its burden.

Read the full study done on the gap in heart failure awareness among the general public and policymakers.

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References

1. Cook C, Cole G, Asaria P, et al. The annual global economic burden of heart failure. Int J Cardiol. 2014;171(3):368-376.
2. Ambrosy AP, Fonarow GC, Butler J, et al. The global health and economic burden of hospitalizations for heart failure: lessons learned from hospitalized heart failure registries. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014;63(12):1123-1133.
3. Giles L, Freeman C, Field P, et al. Humanistic burden and economic impact of heart failure – a systematic review of the literature. F1000Research. 2019; 8:859.
4. Ferreira JP, Kraus S, Mitchell S, et al.. World Heart Federation Roadmap for Heart Failure. Global Heart. 2019;14(3):197–214.
5. AstraZeneca, World heart Federation. Accelerate Change Together: Heart Failure Gap review. Available from https://www.world-heart-federation.org/wp-content/uploads/HF-Gap-Review-Final.pdf. Accessed 3 September 2020.