A survey of 402 Swedish patients with angina pectoris was performed to
estimate the annual direct medical costs, and nonmedical costs, of a
typical Swedish angina pectoris patient, and to identify those variabl
es having the greatest impact on the direct medical costs. Data regard
ing the consumption of healthcare services over a 3-month period were
collected through telephone interviews conducted by trained nurses at
a medical marketing agency. The data were multiplied by 4 to obtain an
estimate of the annual resource consumption. The annual direct medica
l cost of angina pectoris was estimated at 40 052 Swedish kronor (SEK;
$US1 approximate to SEK7.20, March 1995) per patient, comparable with
the cost of a myocardial infarction. As expected, however, the severi
ty of angina pectoris was important in determining the direct medical
cost. The significant variables explaining variations in direct costs
were (in order of importance): (i) whether the patient had undergone c
ardiovascular surgery; (ii) whether the patient was treated by a gener
al practitioner or an internist; (iii) the number of years since first
diagnosis of angina pectoris; and (iv) whether the patient's angina p
ectoris was characterised as stable or unstable. The annual nonmedical
cost of angina pectoris per patient was estimated at SEK38 225. The r
elatively high costs of angina pectoris underline the importance of he
alth economic evaluations of various diseases and medical intervention
s.