OBJECTIVES: Arterial embolism and thrombosis generate a considerable economic burden. The aim of our study was to calculate the annual health insurance treatment cost of arterial embolism and thrombosis in Hungary.

METHODS: The data were derived from the financial database of the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration (NHIFA), the only health care financing agency in Hungary. We analyzed the number of patients and the health insurance treatment cost for the year 2016. The following cost categories were included into the study: out-patient care, laboratory diagnostics, medical imaging, acute in-patient care, chronic in-patient care and drugs. Patients with arterial embolism and thrombosis were identified with the following codes of the International Classification of Diseases 10^th revision: I74.

RESULTS: Number of patients admitted to in-patient hospital care was 4,751 (39.7 % women and 60.3 % men) with a mean age of 67.25 years (women: 70.18 years; men: 65.304 years). The number of patient underwent outpatient care was 40,282 (38.8 % women and 61.2 % men) with a mean age of 66.71 years (women: 68.30 years; men: 65.70 years). For the treatment of patients with arterial embolism and thrombosis in 2016 the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration spent 2.8 billion Hungarian Forint (HUF) which equals 9.95 million American Dollars (USD) or 10.79 million Japanese Yen (JPY). Major cost drivers were acute inpatient care (64.0 % of total health insurance costs), medical imaging (23.7 %) and pharmaceuticals (6.4 %).

CONCLUSIONS: Arterial embolism and thrombosis represent a significant burden for the Hungarian health insurance system. The disease is more common in men (60-61 %) than women. There is a significant difference (3-5 years) in the onset of the disease between women and men.