"Integration of Ayurveda in Western health care systems - costs and benefits using the example of the metabolic syndrome

Year: 2018

Integration of Ayurveda in Western health care systems - costs and benefits using the example of the metabolic syndrome
Dr. med. Harsha Gramminger
The general health care costs are currently dizzyingly high in all 1st and 2nd world nations. In 2013, Germany alone spent around 315 billion euros on health care. This represents a horrendous increase of around 12.1 billion euros compared to the previous year, or 3910 euros in 2013 vs. 3770 euros in 2012 per inhabitant. Diabetes 2, obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and other "civilisation diseases" are the main factors behind these disproportionately high figures.

The so-called "metabolic syndrome" is one of the most widespread (and deadly!) "lifestyle diseases" of our time. It consists of a lethal combination of five diseases - if three of these diagnoses occur simultaneously, it is called metabolic syndrome (CHD, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes, obesity). As early as 2016, 35% of the adult U.S. population suffered from MBS, a disease whose effects (direct and indirect costs) increase the individual cost base of a patient by approximately 2,000$ annually, which in the overall picture means a cost increase of 498,970,456,000 $ / p.a. for the U.S. economy.

With over 8 million patients (in 2009 and rising), diabetes mellitus is one of the most widespread diseases in Germany. In addition, there are very serious "secondary complications" as well as "associated diseases". Consequential mortality ranges from coronary heart disease to apoplectic insult, kidney failure, etc. The total costs of 3,817 euros per person include three main components: Direct costs of the underlying disease, indirect costs (including e.g. early retirement, disability, invalidity, etc.) and costs for "associated complications".

Another new and global disease of civilization is obesity, which, according to several statistics, will become the "Number One" health problem worldwide in about 2025. Already in 2013 52% of all Germans were overweight, which means 42.02 million people! Associated diseases of obesity are only one consequence of this problem, here among others diabetes type 2, hypertension, vascular diseases, stroke, gallstones, cancer, apnea, diseases of joints and skin and many others.

Clinical and practical experience has shown that Ayurveda can significantly improve both diseases, diabetes 2 and obesity. Furthermore, Ayurveda can reduce symptoms and disease patterns (and their costs!) through the healthy lifestyle taught / lived there and the holistic holistic approach to healing. The outbreak of associated diseases is prevented in advance.

Using figures and statistics on the subject of "cost savings", the presentation shows how the traditional wisdom of Ayurveda can be maintained and integrated in a modern world of a new age and thus be able to cure these diseases of civilisation, even prevent them completely and control the treatment effectively. Statistics and figures of the European continent as well as of the U.S.A. in the field of health expenditure and cost-benefit analyses for savings in the European and U.S. health care system are presented and are open for discussion.