Abstract
Introduction: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death in the world. It is estimated that 17.7 million people died from CVD in 2015. According to data from DATASUS, in 2008, 44,138 coronary angioplasties were performed with or without stents. In 2016, 79,997 angioplasties were performed. The cost of orthoses, stents, and special materials for hospitals impacts the financial balance of the single health system (SUS). Objective: It was to carry out a cost analysis of stents for angioplasty from the perspective of the Brazilian Unified Health System. Methods: The present study followed a retrospective longitudinal observational model (STROBE). Data on stents about the years 2020 and 2021 and the cost assessment were carried out by searching the intra-hospital financial database of Santa Casa in the city of Jaú, São Paulo, Brazil, and the SUS table. The research was in the field of incomplete economic evaluation (cost analysis and brands of stents) through macro-costing of stent supply. The variables were presented as percentages, mean, and standard deviation. Comparisons of variables were performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, with p<0.05, and Tukey analysis (ANOVA-One-Way) with p>0.05 with a statistical difference. Predictive logistic regression analysis was performed to better understand the trend in stent costs each year, with a significant p<0.05. Results: After analyzing the intra-hospital financial data and the SUS table, they showed a significant increase in the transfer value of stents from 2020 to 2021, with average values in reais of R$1,399 to R$2,478, respectively. This difference of R$1,079.00 can be justified by the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the increase in demand for stents. Conclusion: Lower average values for stent costs were observed in 2020 and 2021 compared to other stent values that were published in studies covering the same periods. However, the average cost of stents in this study in 2021 showed significantly higher values compared to 2020, which further burdened the budget of the Unified Health System. The future perspective is that a greater transfer of funds from the Federal Government for the Unified Health System, as well as a reduction in the cost prices of stents by manufacturers and suppliers in the post-COVID-19 period, to obtain a balance in public spending. Furthermore, it is expected that drug-eluting stents will be more widely used in the Unified Health System. Furthermore, it is necessary to establish public policies to standardize stent prices.