The Economic Impact of Kidney Disease in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory

Global spending on health continues to increase year over year, without clear commensurate improvements in patient-related outcomes. As such, it is imperative that healthcare dollars be used wisely to ensure that value is provided. Cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease represent two related and growing sources of healthcare costs. These two diseases are uniquely intertwined. In this chapter we present an economic analysis of the impact of both kidney and cardiovascular disease, with a special focus on contrast-induced acute kidney injury and a cost analysis of preventative measures. We will also discuss the economic implications of chronic kidney disease in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. We believe that there should be an increased focus on cost-effectiveness in clinical research, reported alongside patient-related outcomes, to ensure that the care we provide is more efficient and effective.