Study: assisted living residents undermedicated.

Researchers recently reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine that residential care/assisted living residents are undermedicated for their health conditions. Among their findings:

* 62.2% of residents with congestive heart failure were not receiving an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor.

* 60.5% of residents with prior myocardial infarction were not receiving aspirin, and 76.2% were not receiving [beta]-blockers.

* 37.5% of residents with a history of stroke were not receiving an anticoagulant or antiplatelet agent.

* 61.0% of residents with osteoporosis were not receiving calcium supplementation, and 51.1% were not receiving any treatment for the condition.

Facility factors--particularly facility type and frequency of physician visits--were somewhat more frequently associated with nonprescribing for residents; rarely associated, according to the study, were resident age, race, sex, comorbidity, cognitive status, and dependency in activities of daily living. The researchers said that because residential care/assisted living settings emphasize resident independence, more attention might need to be focused on using treatments that reduce long-term morbidity.

To access the study, visit http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/164/18/2031.