03 Burden of coronary heart.pmd

1Endocrine and Metabolism Research Centre, Doctor Shariati Hospital, Tehran University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. 2Health Research and Education Unit, Healthcare Organization, National Iranian Oil Corporation, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. Received: 30/07/02; accepted: 27/03/03 ABSTRACT To estimate the direct cost of coronary heart disease (CHD) to the Iranian oil industry, we calculated the cost of essential services for 1253 CHD patients admitted to the National Iranian Oil Corporation (NIOC) Central Hospital. The direct cost of CHD at the Hospital was 10 940 million rials (US$ 1 = 8000 rials), or 8.7 million rials per patient. The direct cost of CHD to the Iranian oil industry was estimated at 22 770 million rials. Working days lost to workers hospitalized for CHD amounted to 62 832. The heavy burden of CHD on the Iranian oil industry necessitates the introduction of an industry-wide prevention programme.