Document Detail


Do deficits in cardiac care influence high mortality rates in schizophrenia? A systematic review and pooled analysis.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20923922     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
We have previously documented inequalities in the quality of medical care provided to those with mental ill health but the implications for mortality are unclear. We aimed to test whether disparities in medical treatment of cardiovascular conditions, specifically receipt of medical procedures and receipt of prescribed medication, are linked with elevated rates of mortality in people with schizophrenia and severe mental illness. We undertook a systematic review of studies that examined medical procedures and a pooled analysis of prescribed medication in those with and without comorbid mental illness, focusing on those which recruited individuals with schizophrenia and measured mortality as an outcome. From 17 studies of treatment adequacy in cardiovascular conditions, eight examined cardiac procedures and nine examined adequacy of prescribed cardiac medication. Six of eight studies examining the adequacy of cardiac procedures found lower than average provision of medical care and two studies found no difference. Meta-analytic pooling of nine medication studies showed lower than average rates of prescribing evident for the following individual classes of medication; angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (n = 6, aOR = 0.779, 95% CI = 0.638-0.950, p = 0.0137), beta-blockers (n = 9, aOR = 0.844, 95% CI = 0.690-1.03, p = 0.1036) and statins (n = 5, aOR = 0.604, 95% CI = 0.408-0.89, p = 0.0117). No inequality was evident for aspirin (n = 7, aOR = 0.986, 95% CI = 0.7955-1.02, p = 0.382). Interestingly higher than expected prescribing was found for older non-statin cholesterol-lowering agents (n = 4, aOR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.04-2.32, p = 0.0312). A search for outcomes in this sample revealed ten studies linking poor quality of care and possible effects on mortality in specialist settings. In half of the studies there was significantly higher mortality in those with mental ill health compared with controls but there was inadequate data to confirm a causative link. Nevertheless, indirect evidence supports the observation that deficits in quality of care are contributing to higher than expected mortality in those with severe mental illness (SMI) and schizophrenia. The quality of medical treatment provided to those with cardiac conditions and comorbid schizophrenia is often suboptimal and may be linked with avoidable excess mortality. Every effort should be made to deliver high-quality medical care to people with severe mental illness.
Authors:
Alex J Mitchell; Oliver Lord
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Meta-Analysis; Review    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)     Volume:  24     ISSN:  1461-7285     ISO Abbreviation:  J. Psychopharmacol. (Oxford)     Publication Date:  2010 Nov 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-10-06     Completed Date:  2011-02-03     Revised Date:  2011-02-15    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8907828     Medline TA:  J Psychopharmacol     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  69-80     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Liaison Psychiatry, Leicester General Hospital, Leicester, UK. Alex.mitchell@leicspart.nhs.uk
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Comorbidity
Female
Healthcare Disparities*
Heart Diseases / mortality*
Humans
Male
Preventive Health Services
Quality of Health Care*
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Schizophrenia / drug therapy,  mortality*
Treatment Outcome

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Inequalities in healthcare provision for people with severe mental illness.
Next Document:  Suicide and schizophrenia: a systematic review of rates and risk factors.