title: The use of antiplatelet medication in hospitalised elderly patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of antiplatelet agents is strongly recommended for the secondary prevention of ischemic events such as myocardial infarction, stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to analyse the use of antiplatelet medication in patients after myocardial infarction, stroke/TIA, and patients with both conditions and to identify patient-related characteristics, which determine the use of such drugs in elderly patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study sample (n=372) was derived from 2,157 patients admitted to long-term care departments of three municipal hospitals. The study included patients aged ≥65 years after myocardial infarction, stroke/TIA or both.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Antiplatelet medications were prescribed in 54.8 % and 68.5 % of patients at hospital admission and discharge, respectively. Hospitalisation led to a significant increase in the use of antiplatelet medication in patients after myocardial infarction and in those with the combination of both events. However, in patients after only stroke/TIA, we did not find any significant difference comparing the use of antiplatelet medication at the time of hospital admission and discharge, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study revealed that physicians are more aware of the benefits of antiplatelet medication in elderly patients after myocardial infarction or those after both myocardial infarction and stroke/TIA in comparison with patients after only stroke/TIA (Tab. 3, Ref. 32).
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wawruch
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Slezakova
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuzelova
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dukat
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zabka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Leitmann
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tisonova
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kallay
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006773:Hospitals, Municipal; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018154:Slovakia; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
keywords: bleeding risk; cerebrovascular; myocardial infarction; stroke; thrombotic event.; transient ischemic attack