Cardiovascular medication prescribing in older adults with psychiatric disorders

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.

Cross-sectional study.

Inpatient geriatric psychiatry unit within a regional medical center.

197 patients admitted between June 2005 and May 2006.

Changes in CV medication prescribing from admission to discharge.

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.

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.