Statin utilization in nursing home patients after cardiac hospitalization.
BACKGROUND
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is highly prevalent in nursing home residents and is associated with a substantial clinical and economic burden. Statins reduce mortality and hospitalization rates in older patients with CAD.


OBJECTIVE
To assess rates and predictors of statin use among high-risk patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD) admitted to nursing homes after acute cardiac hospitalization.


METHODS
Cohort study.


METHODS
Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in either a state-run drug assistance program or Medicaid in nursing homes in New Jersey from 1994 through 2005.


METHODS
Statin utilization within 60 days of nursing home admission was determined for patients recently hospitalized with symptomatic CAD in whom statins are indicated consisting of those with: acute coronary syndrome (ACS) without revascularization, ACS with revascularization and congestive heart failure (CHF) with revascularization. Predictors of statin use were evaluated with multivariate logistic regression models.


RESULTS
While statin use over the 11-year period increased from 1.2% to 31.8%, overall utilization was very low. Predictors of greater statin use included prior cardiac hospitalization [odds ratio (OR) 1.32, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.13 to 1.57], prior statin use (OR 6.92, 95% CI 5.86 to 8.82) and receipt of a concurrent cardiac medication (range of odds ratios, 2.36-3.40). Older patients admitted for ACS with or without revascularization were less likely to receive a statin. Patients who had received anti-platelets or angiotensin-modifying agents prior to their hospitalization were less likely to receive statins after discharge. Renal disease, prior stroke, diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia did not influence statin utilization. Predictors of treatment did not change when the cohort was dichotomized according to length of stay.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients are infrequently treated with statins when discharged to nursing homes following hospitalization for a symptomatic cardiovascular event. Barriers to statin treatment in this setting require closer examination.
Parikh
Seema
S
Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. S.Parikh@cgmc.org.au
Shrank
William H
WH
Mogun
Helen
H
Choudhry
Niteesh K
NK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare / Q000639:trends; D008875:Middle Aged; D009515:New Jersey / Q000453:epidemiology; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000639:trends; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors