During 1995, Virginia Health Information collected hospital data and
found:
104,573 hospital admissions with a primary diagnosis of a CVD (This
was 15% of all discharges during 1995).
The average admission cost with a CVD diagnosis was $13,974, 59%
greater than the average charge of all admissions ($8,813).
The total cost of 104,573 CVD admissions was $1,461,303,102.
If admissions for CVD were reduced by just five percent over the next
five years, the savings would be more than $73 million.
Risk factors for CVD are analyzed in Virginia using the Behavioral Risk
Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). This is a random digit dial phone
survey of behavioral trends among adults 18 and over.
The 1997 BRFSS data for Virginia (unless otherwise specified), based
on 3,500 respondents, revealed:
70% had had their cholesterol checked in the last year; 22% had been
told by a health professional that their cholesterol was high
Over 93% had had their blood pressure checked in the last two years;
24% of those had been told it was high
23% reported being current smokers
Over 51% were at risk for a sedentary lifestyle
At least 4% had been told by a health professional that they were
diabetic
Only 30% were eating 5 or more fruits and vegetables a day (1995)
18% reported to be acute or binge drinkers
Over 32% were overweight (1996)
61% reported a health professional had never advised them to exercise
more
59% reported a health professional had never advised them to eat
fewer high-fat or high- cholesterol foods
