title: Cardiovascular medication prescribing in older adults with psychiatric disorders.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Wingate University School of Pharmacy, Wingate, NC 28174, USA. cdolder@wingate.edu
authors.forename: Christian R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Dolder
authors.forename: Angie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Veverka
authors.forename: Donald S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Nuzum
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McKinsey
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D002317:Cardiovascular Agents