Socioeconomic Aspects of ACE Inhibition in the Secondary Prevention in Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the industrialized world and have become a major economic burden. Therefore, not only ethical and medical but also economic reasons suggest more intense efforts in primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular and, especially, coronary artery disease. The prevention of the progression of heart failure and of the risks inherent in left ventricular dysfunction, including development of heart failure, reinfarctions, and death, are major cornerstones in the ambitious but economically balanced use of our resources. Major trials in chronic heart failure as well as the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor pooling project in heart failure of all major studies have shown almost uniformly a reduction in hospitalizations attributable to slowing of the progression of the disease. In the Munich Mild Heart Failure Trial (MHFT) socioeconomic analysis confirmed the high economic burden of progression to the end-stages of disease: Patients with progressive heart failure had a four- to fivefold increase in hospital costs. The blunting of the progressive course of heart failure was effective enough to offset the costs of drug treatment with captopril in an analysis extrapolating the results of the socioeconomic analysis to the total trial population. Favorable results in preventive treatment of patients with asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction, hypertension, and diabetic nephropathy also suggest that part of the additional costs of medication is outweighed by fewer hospitalizations and interventions. Thus in many cardiovascular diseases angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors have a favorable cost-benefit ratio and can be recommended for broader use.