Hyperkalemia prevalent, increases health care costs for older adults
More than 2% of the U.S. Medicare population has hyperkalemia, with a higher prevalence among adults with chronic kidney disease or heart failure, according to a study published in Current Medical Research and Opinion.
Little research has been conducted to establish the economic impact of the hyperkalemia among Medicare patients and subgroups with hyperkalemia comorbidities, Fan Mu, PhD, MBBS, manager at Analysis Group, Inc., and colleagues wrote.
“This study fills an important gap in the literature to date by estimating the prevalence and the incremental economic burden of hyperkalemia both in the overall Medicare population and among the key patient subgroups defined by hyperkalemia-related comorbidities, such as chronic kidney disease and heart failure,” Mu told Healio.
The researchers analyzed a 5% random sample of Medicare beneficiaries from the CMS claims database from 2010 to 2014. From these data, the researchers estimated the prevalence and economic burden of hyperkalemia for general Medicare patients as well as those in subgroups of hyperkalemia-related comorbidities, which included CKD, heart failure, diabetes and hypertension.
The prevalence of hyperkalemia in the overall Medicare population was 2.6% to 2.7% and the prevalence in the subgroups with CKD and/or heart failure was 8.9% to 9.3%.
Patients with hyperkalemia had a higher rate of inpatient admissions (1.28 vs. 0.44), outpatient visits (30.48 vs. 23.88), emergency department visits (2.1 vs. 1.17) and skilled nursing facility admissions (0.36 vs. 0.11) over the course of a year than those without hyperkalemia (P < .001 for all).
Overall, the data analysis showed that patients with hyperkalemia accrued $7,208 more in medical expenses over 30 days and $19,348 more over 1 year compared with those without hyperkalemia (P < .001). For patients with CKD and/or heart failure, the total cost difference at 30 days was $7,726 and $21,577, respectively (P < .001).
“Inpatient costs were the primary cost driver, accounting for 68% of the 1-year total medical cost difference between [patients with and without hyperkalemia],” the researchers wrote.
The researchers concluded “that there is a significant clinical and economic burden associated with hyperkalemia in the U.S. Medicare population, which underscores the need for effective treatment [and disease management] of the condition.”
For more information:
Fan Mu, PhD, MBBS, can be reached at fan.mu@analysisgroup.com.
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