The cost of treating men for heart disease topped $47 billion in 2008, leading a list of the 10 most expensive conditions for men age 18 and older, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
The federal agency also found that among the top 10 costliest conditions for men in 2008:
• Cancer was the second most costly disease to treat ($34 billion), followed by trauma-related disorders ($33 billion) and osteoarthritis ($23 billion).
• Among these conditions, overall costs were lowest for back problems ($14 billion), followed by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and asthma ($18 billion).
• On a per-patient basis, the average annual treatment cost ranged from $4,873 for cancer to $838 for high blood pressure.
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. For more information, go to Statistical Brief #331: Top 10 Most Costly Conditions among Men and Women, 2008: Estimates for the U.S. Civilian Noninstitutionalized Adult Population, Age 18 and Older (http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_files/publications/st331/stat331.pdf).
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