Underutilization of Aspirin in Older Patients with Prior Myocardial Infarction at the Time of Admission to a Nursing Home

Abstract

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. J Am Geriatr Soc 46:615–616, 1998.