Health Economics

It is estimated that every year more than 10 million people in the world have a stroke, and more than 6 million of the victims die. Stroke victims are getting younger, and the global burden of stroke is increasing. The average lifetime cost of a stroke patient has been estimated to between 55 and 69 thousand dollars, while the annual cost of stroke has been estimated to 64 billion Euros in Europe and to 34 billion dollars in the US.
Early detection and diagnosis of stroke will shorten the time to relevant treatment, reduce brain damage and subsequent dysfunction for the patients and thereby reducing the cost for society.
Stroke is the collective name for the condition with sudden symptoms that occur when part of the brain’s nerve tissue is affected by inhibited oxygen supply in the affected area. Oxygen deficiency can occur as a result of a blood clot in some blood vessel – ischemic stroke. Oxygen deficiency can also be a consequence of a brain hemorrhage, that is, a rupture in some vessel inside the brain – hemorrhagic stroke, or on the surface of the brain – subarachnoid hemorrhage. This can lead to physical disabilities (such as paralysis), cognitive disabilities (such as language and memory disorders) and psychiatric conditions (such as depression).

In our western society traumatic brain injuries has become more frequent due to falls at home in an aging population, while in emerging economies the incidence is still increasing due to road traffic accidents. In Europe 2,5 million people each year will experience some form of trauma leading to brain injury. Of these, 1 million will be hospitalized and 75,000 will die. In the United States, the annual burden of traumatic brain injury has been estimated to more than 75 billion dollars, where the cost of disability and loss of productivity represents 4 times more than the cost for medical treatment and rehabilitation.
With an improved screening of the brain injury already at the place of accident, unnecessary suffering may be avoided. If transported to a hospital that gives the patient adequate care already from the start, lives can be saved, disability can be minimised and money saved for society.