Trends in Prevalence of Statin Use and Treatment Burden for Statin Users with Comorbidities in South Korea
September 2018
in “
Value in Health
”
TLDR More people in South Korea are using statins each year, especially those with diabetes, muscle pain, and heart disease, leading to higher medical costs.
The study, conducted from 2012 to 2016, analyzed the prevalence and treatment burden of statin use in South Korea, particularly in patients with comorbidities. The number of statin users increased by 12% annually, from 3,528,371 in 2012 to 5,516,998 in 2016. The most common comorbidities among statin users were diabetes mellitus (37%), muscle pain (24%), and coronary disease (16%). Medical costs associated with these comorbidities were higher, with coronary disease costing 3,890,531 KRW, diabetes mellitus costing 2,890,531 KRW, and muscle pain costing 2,753,612 KRW, compared to 2,442,358 KRW for those without comorbidities. The study concluded that the increasing prevalence and economic burden of statin use, especially among those with comorbidities, suggested a need for improved disease management and treatments to potentially yield substantial cost savings.
