Costs of hospital care in Niger for hypertension and cardiovascular disease

Hypertension in Africa is potentially a serious problem and is expected to become even more so with time. This study examines the cost of hospitalization for complications associated with hyptertension (heart disease, stroke, retinopathy, renal insufficiency) in the medicine-cardiology service at the University Hospital Centre, University of Niamey, Niger, from October 1988 to September 1989. All 53 patients admitted for one or more of these complications who had a prior diagnosis of hypertension were included. The mean length of stay was 29.7 days, and the mean cost was US$579.76. Bivariate analyses indicated that cost was significantly higher for males, smokers, and patients with less excess weight, lower blood pressure, or a greater number of diagnoses. In a multiple regression with these 6 variables as predictors, smoking and blood pressure were the two significant predictors of cost. The mean cost for smokers was US$289.34 higher than for non-smokers. Lower blood pressure was still associated with higher cost. Three methods of reducing the burden on the national budget-cost recovery, reducing the length of stay, and prevention - are discussed.

Blood pressure · Cost effectiveness · Disease · Intensive care medicine · Stroke (engine) · Blood Pressure and Hypertension Studies · Emergency Medicine · Global Health and Epidemiology · Global Health Care Issues · Internal Medicine · Medicine · Surgery