Underutilization of lipid-lowering drugs in older persons with prior myocardial infarction and a serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol > 125 mg/dl

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of aspirin use in older patients with prior myocardial infarction at the time of admission to a nursing home. DESIGN: In a prospective study, the prevalence of aspirin use in 350 consecutive older patients with documented Q-wave myocardial infarction and no contraindications to aspirin use was investigated in patients aged 60 years or older at the time of admission to a nursing home. SETTING: A large, long-term, healthcare facility. PATIENTS: The patients included 231 women and 119 men, mean age 81 +/- 8 years (range 60 to 100). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of the 350 patients with documented Q-wave myocardial infarction and no contraindications to aspirin therapy, 60 patients (17%) were receiving aspirin at the time of admission to the nursing home. CONCLUSION: There is a marked underutilization of aspirin in the treatment of older patients with documented prior myocardial infarction at the time of admission to a nursing home.