PREVALENCE AND COSTS OF CARDIAC SURGERY PROCEDURES IN THE UNIFIED HEALTH SYSTEM IN ALAGOAS, BETWEEN 2008 AND 2025

Abstract

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of mortality in Brazil, generating high demand for interventional procedures in the Unified Health System (SUS), with significant impacts on morbidity, mortality, and care costs, especially in regions with inequalities in access to specialized care. Objective: To describe the prevalence and costs of cardiac surgery procedures performed in the SUS in Alagoas from 2008 to 2025. Methods: Observational ecological descriptive epidemiological study with time series based on aggregated secondary data from SIH/SUS (myocardial revascularization/valve surgeries and coronary angioplasties) and SIA/SUS (cardiac catheterization), extracted via TABNET/DATASUS, analyzing variables such as number of procedures, municipality, management, care character, and total costs. Results: A total of 43,390 procedures were recorded, with 28,380 (65.41%) cardiac catheterizations (SIA/SUS) and 15,010 (34.59%) surgeries and angioplasties (SIH/SUS). Distribution concentrated in Maceió (78.67%), with Pacto de Gestão predominant in catheterization (98.95%) and Municipal Plena in surgeries (99.18%). Catheterization was mostly elective (93.96%), while surgeries were divided between elective (45.55%) and urgency (54.45%). Total costs reached R$ 147,630,584.21, with surgeries accounting for R$ 129,718,938.21 (87.87%). Conclusion: The findings highlight the predominance of minimally invasive procedures, regional inequalities, and high costs of hospital interventions, supporting care planning in the Alagoas SUS for greater equity, resource rationalization, and strengthening of primary, medium, and high-complexity care networks.