Changes in vitamin E prescribing for Alzheimer patients.
OBJECTIVE
At the end of 2006, a survey was sent to members of the American Association of Geriatric Psychiatry (AAGP) to assess possible changes in prescribing Vitamin E to patients with Alzheimer disease that followed two published reports in early 2005 suggesting increased mortality and an increased incidence of heart failure with Vitamin E supplements.


METHODS
A three-item questionnaire was mailed to all AAGP members who had prescription privileges to assess changes in prescribing Vitamin E after January, 2005.


RESULTS
A total of 572 completed surveys were returned for a response rate of 35%. Nearly 60% of respondents reported a change over the 2 years that followed the 2005 reports. The greatest change was in the group not prescribing Vitamin E, which increased from 6.6% before 2005 to 60.6% afterward.


CONCLUSIONS
AAGP members significantly reduced prescribing Vitamin E to patients with Alzheimer disease after 2005. The two reports are discussed with an emphasis on their methodological limitations and the potential for additional information on Vitamin E side effects from ongoing research.
Dysken
Maurice W
MW
Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center Program, Minneapolis VA Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA. maurice.dysken@med.va.gov
Kirk
Laura Nelson
LN
Kuskowski
Michael
M
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D003625:Data Collection; D005852:Geriatric Psychiatry / Q000639:trends*; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000639:trends*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000401:mortality; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015996:Survival Rate; D014481:United States; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014810:Vitamin E