Abstract / Summary
Background: Myocardial infarction (MI) and heart failure (HF) impose a physical and emotional toll that has not been measured nationally with a standard instrument. Methods: We pooled the 2019 to 2024 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey into 4 mutually exclusive groups of adults aged 18 and older: MI without HF, HF without MI, both conditions, and neither condition. Quality of life was assessed with the Veterans RAND 12-item component summaries, T scores (mean 50, SD 10) on which higher is better and 3 points is minimally important. Survey-weighted linear regression adjusted for demographics, socioeconomic factors, and comorbidity. Results: Among 79,853 adults representing 253.8 million US adults, 4.2% (3,340) had MI alone, 0.6% (480) HF alone, and 0.3% (236) both. Unadjusted physical scores ranged from 33.2 with HF alone to 39.1 with MI alone, versus 50.5 with neither. Adjusted physical scores were lower by 3.84 points (95% CI, 3.20-4.47) with MI alone, 8.32 (95% CI, 7.04-9.61) with HF alone, and 7.74 (95% CI, 5.73-9.76) with both, each beyond the minimally important threshold. Adjusted mental scores were lower by 1.35 points with MI alone, 1.20 with HF alone, and 1.69 with both, all below that threshold. Adults with both conditions did not differ from those with HF alone (0.58 points; 95% CI, -1.76 to 2.92). Emergency visits, inpatient discharges, and expenditure were higher in every cardiac group and highest with both conditions, where annual expenditure reached $37,198 versus $7,845 with neither. Conclusions: Physical quality of life fell steadily across the cardiac groups, with HF rather than prior MI accounting for most of it. The difference in mental quality of life did not persist after adjustment. Utilization and spending were highest with both conditions.