Cost and outcomes of acute cardiovascular disease hospitalizations in a tertiary hospital in Ghana

Background Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are on the rise in Sub-Saharan Africa. The management of these CVDs comes at an exorbitant cost to both individuals and health institutions. However, data on the economic impact of the most common CVDs in Ghana are lacking. Our objective was to describe the in-patient cost and outcomes of acute CVD admissions in a leading teaching hospital in Ghana. Methods We retrospectively reviewed hospital admissions, cost of hospitalization, length of stay, and CVD outcomes following admissions between January 2018 and December 2019. Results A total of 1975 patients with a mean age of 62.2 (+/- 16.1) years were admitted over the study period of which 52.6% were males.The top 3 most prevalent CVDs among admitted patients were stroke(48.5%), hypertensive urgencies/emergencies(42.7%), and heart failure(29.4%). The overall case fatality rate (CFR) was 21.5% (95% CI: 19.7%-23.3%). The CFR for stroke, hypertensive urgencies/emergencies, and heart failure were 28.9%, 17.6%, and 14.1%, respectively. Median (IQR) length of stay and cost of treatment across all CVDs was 5(3-9) days and USD $195.29(137.9-288.9), respectively. The highest median cost for admission was for stroke (USD $211.19). Conclusion The average cost of CVD hospitalization is over a hundred times the daily minimum wage of the average Ghanaian. A greater emphasis on primordial and primary prevention is warranted to curtail the economic burden of CVDs in developing economies such as Ghana.