All articles tagged with #cost effectiveness
A Northwestern Medicine study in JAMA finds apoB testing may more accurately identify cardiovascular risk than LDL or non-HDL cholesterol, and guiding cholesterol-lowering treatment with apoB could prevent more heart attacks and strokes at a cost-effective rate, based on a large lifetime simulation of 250,000 adults and intensified therapy with statins and ezetimibe.
A Northwestern-led simulation study finds using apoB levels to guide cholesterol-lowering therapy may prevent more heart attacks and strokes over a lifetime and be cost-effective compared with LDL- or non-HDL-guided strategies, though apoB testing isn’t yet routine due to extra testing, cost, and current guideline adoption.
A study from Mass General Brigham suggests that aiming for a systolic blood pressure below 120 mm Hg can prevent more cardiovascular events and is cost-effective, despite increased risks of side effects and healthcare costs, emphasizing personalized treatment decisions.
A study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons finds that treating children with uncomplicated acute appendicitis using antibiotics alone is both cost-effective and safe compared to surgery. The research, which analyzed data from over 1,000 patients aged 7 to 17, showed that antibiotics resulted in lower costs and slightly better quality-adjusted life year scores than surgery. The study highlights antibiotics as a viable nonoperative management strategy, though it notes limitations such as a short follow-up period and regional data focus.
A study published in The Lancet found that regular walking, combined with physiotherapist-guided education, can significantly reduce the recurrence of low back pain and is cost-effective. The Australian WalkBack program showed that participants who walked regularly had fewer repeat episodes and longer periods before recurrence compared to a control group. The study highlights the benefits of walking and education in managing low back pain, though further research is needed to evaluate its effectiveness across diverse populations.
The "Food Is Medicine" (FIM) movement emphasizes the health effects of nutrition as a proper medical intervention, rather than treating food as a drug. A recent report from Tufts University highlights the cost-effectiveness of programs like medically tailored meals and nutritional support, which can save more money than they cost. These programs address chronic illnesses and poor nutrition, and the goal is to treat nutrition as a prescribed medical intervention covered by insurance. The studies estimate potential savings of billions of dollars in direct healthcare costs and improved health outcomes. The broader concept is that non-traditional interventions, such as optimal nutrition, can have a significant impact on health and should be evidence-based.