Cardiovascular disease accounts for roughly $286 billion in health expenditures – including the direct costs of medical care and indirect costs associated with lost productivity – according to the latest numbers from the American Heart Association. Spending on cardiovascular medications accounted for 20% of drug plan costs, according to Medco’s 2011 Drug Trend Report.
“One in three Americans has already been diagnosed with some form of heart disease, including high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure,” says Dr. Ron Loeppke of U.S. Preventive Medicine. “That’s a high prevalence rate.”
