Abstract
Background:
The use of the coronary artery calcium score to aid cardiovascular risk stratification may be a more cost-effective tool than the conventional strategy.
Objectives:
Evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of the use of the calcium score in therapeutic guidance for primary cardiovascular prevention.
Methods:
A microsimulation model to assess the clinical and economic consequences of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, comparing the prevention strategy using the calcium score and the conventional strategy.
Results:
The results obtained demonstrated a better cost-effectiveness of the therapeutic strategy guided by the calcium score, by reducing incremental costs and increasing quality-adjusted life years (QALY), which corresponds, in number, to improving the quality of life of the individual.
Conclusions:
The use of the coronary artery calcium score proved to be more cost-effective than the conventional strategy, both in terms of cost and QALY, in most of the scenarios studied.
Keywords:
Cost-Benefit Analysis; Primary Prevention; Cardiac Imaging Techniques; Coronary Artery Calcium
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