Prescription of evidence-based medicine drugs by general practitioners to patients after myocardial infarction: outcomes from the Czech Republic
Abstract
Ischemic heart disease is the most frequent cause of both serious morbidity and mortality of adult population in developed countries. The main aim of the study was to carry out the analysis of general practitioners (GP) prescription of evidence-based therapy in patients after myocardial infarction (MI).
Data were retrospectively collected in 2011, by a single application with the help of software that GPs use in their surgeries. All patients of a particular GP who had MI in their history and who were at the time of data collection treated only by GPs (not by the specialists of internal medicine or cardiology) were always included.
Four hundred ninety one patients were included in the study. The average age was 70.7 (+/-11.6) and 69.2% of the involved patients were men.
Seventy nine percent of patients used beta-blockers, 80% antiplatelet drugs, 77% statins and 79% used angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ACEIs/ARBs). Forty four percent of patients used drugs from all four groups.
The significant prescription decrease was proved in all four groups in dependence on patients' age (p < 0.05). Although the evidence-based medicine usage in patients after MI in the Czech Republic is comparable to other countries, it is not optimal.
More intensive involvement of pharmacists in the care of patients after MI would further improve the situation.