back
Support
Global Action on Aging!
|
 |
Elderly Patients Miss Out on Heart Drugs
Health
Newswire
March 20, 2003
The research, which appears in the journal Heart,
looked at how many times doctors prescribed statins, between 1994 and
2001. Each year, the researchers analysed the records of about 30,000
patients being treated for narrowed and blocked arteries.
During the study period, there was a huge increase in the number of
prescriptions for statins, although prescribing patterns varied around the
country. However, the researchers, from St George’s Hospital Medical
School, in London, found that only 56 per cent of eligible men and 41 per
cent of eligible women had been prescribed the drugs at the end of 2001.
Age rather than social factors appeared to be most influential in
determining whether patients were prescribed a statin.
Patients aged under 75 had a much greater chance of being prescribed
statins than those over that age. In 2001 only a third of 75 to 84 year
olds and only 5 per cent of those older than 85 were prescribed the drugs.
Patients with angina were three times less likely to be prescribed statins
than patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery, despite
the fact they are also susceptible to a heart attack if not treated.
Although doctors are prescribing more statins than five years ago, the
researchers say, “there is room for improvement in a number of areas”.
And despite the hope that the National Service Framework (NSF) on coronary
artery disease will address the needs of people with angina and the
variations in prescribing practices, the researchers warn that the elderly
are still likely to miss out.
A spokesperson for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) said that the study
was worrying in light of the fact that statins have been found to reduce
mortality and morbidity.
“Despite clear recommendations set out by the NSF in 2000, many health
professionals remain uncertain about the ideal time that people should be
receiving statin therapy. The BHF will soon be producing a patient’s
guide to the NSF which will allow patients and health professionals to
have a better understanding of when statins should be taken,” she said.
Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging
Terms of Use | Privacy
Policy | Contact Us
|
