Disease characteristics and hospitalization burden among older inpatients with hypertension in tertiary general hospitals in Jiangsu Province, China: a retrospective analysis

Abstract Objective : This study aimed to analyze disease characteristics and the hospitalization burden of older inpatients with hypertension in tertiary general hospitals in China, and to provide data support and decision-making basis for the Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG) payment system reform and health management service for elderly hypertension in tertiary general hospitals. Design : Retrospective chart review. Setting : Two tertiary general hospitals in Jiangsu Province, China. Participants : The participants were older adult inpatients who were treated at the two hospitals during the study period, totaling 54,181. Primary and secondary outcome measures : Front page data of inpatient medical records from 2015 to 2020 were collected from two tertiary general hospitals in Jiangsu Province, China. Demographic and disease characteristics of older hospitalized patients with hypertension were analyzed and their relationship to the hospital burden was quantified from the perspective of “disease occurrence-disease burden” assessment. Results : From 2015 to 2020, the number of elderly hypertension inpatients in tertiary hospitals increased by 4.3-fold, and the average comorbidity count rose from 4.13 to 4.86. Based on the 10th Revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, common comorbidities included "hypertension + diabetes," "hypertension + cerebrovascular disease," and "hypertension + ischemic heart disease." The average annual hospitalization cost for elderly hypertension inpatients showed a consistent increase, primarily driven by drug, diagnosis, and treatment expenses. Hospital stay duration and comorbidity count exhibited a significant positive correlation with the total cost of individual hospitalization. Conclusions : This study highlights the challenges hospitals face in managing the increasing burden of comorbidities in older adults with hypertension. The prevalence and rate of older inpatients with hypertension have been steadily increasing year after year. Furthermore, the number of comorbidities in patients is positively correlated with the burden of hospitalization. Future studies with larger and more diverse samples are warranted to examine how various factors influence the condition and treatment of such patients. The proposed measures for using information technology are valuable for healthcare providers and policymakers.