Cardiovascular medication prescribing in older adults with psychiatric disorders.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the appropriateness of cardiovascular (CV) medication prescribing of patients admitted to a geriatric psychiatry ward. Secondary aims included examining: 1) if differences in CV medication prescribing existed between admission and discharge and 2) if differences in CV medication prescribing existed between patients with and without dementia.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Inpatient geriatric psychiatry unit within a regional medical center.


METHODS
197 patients admitted between June 2005 and May 2006.


METHODS
Changes in CV medication prescribing from admission to discharge.


RESULTS
On admission, the percent of patients receiving appropriate CV medications for general CV prevention, atrial fibrillation, coronary-artery disease, and heart failure ranged from 33% to 56%. With the exception of the treatment of heart failure, no significant improvements in appropriate CV medication prescribing were noted at the time of discharge. No differences in CV medication prescribing were found between patients with and without dementia.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the known benefits of numerous CV medications in older adults, many patients admitted to a geriatric psychiatry ward were not prescribed optimal pharmacotherapeutic regimens on admission or had their medications changed by the time of discharge.
Dolder
Christian R
CR
Wingate University School of Pharmacy, Wingate, NC 28174, USA. cdolder@wingate.edu
Veverka
Angie
A
Nuzum
Donald S
DS
McKinsey
Jonathan
J
D000368:Aged; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications*; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009657:North Carolina; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital
D002317:Cardiovascular Agents