Background image Background image darkmode

Discontinuation of preventive cardiovascular medication in older community-dwelling patients: current practice and patient preferences

Stopping preventive cardiovascular medication in frail older patients: what happens in practice?

Many frail elderly take medicines to help prevent cardiovascular disease. These include drugs to lower blood pressure or cholesterol, and medicines that reduce blood clotting. Sometimes the question is whether these medicines still offer enough benefit—and whether that benefit outweighs the side effects. 

Aim

Therefore, this study investigates how often frail elderly use these preventive heart medicines, and why they stop taking them.

Approach

We used health records from people aged 60 to 100 years from 56 general practitioner (GP) practices in the Netherlands, covering the years 2016 to 2020. We looked at how many frail elderly used different types of preventive cardiovascular medicines, and how often these medicines were stopped.

Results

We found that 85 out of 100 of the frailest elderly used at least one of these medicines. In some elderly, the medicines were stopped at some point, but it looks like stopping could be considered for more frail elderly. We are still investigating why medicines are stopped and sometimes started again.

Quick links

  • General practitioner care
  • Cardiology
  • Primary care
  • Drugs
  • Cardiovascular diseases
  • Elderly

    • Features

    • Project number:
      839150003
    • Duration: 100%
      2020
      2025
    • Part of programme:
    • Related funding round:
      HGOG 2.0 Huisartsgeneeskunde ronde 2019
    • Project lead and secretary:
      dr. H.J. Luijendijk MD PhD
    • Responsible organisation:
      Universitair Medisch Centrum Groningen

    Research in general practice by doctors in training to become researchers

    To improve patient care, we fund research into scientific questions arising from everyday clinical practice. As these studies are conducted by doctors in training to become researchers, they also contribute to the academisation of the field.