Statin Discontinuation and Life-Limiting Illness in Non-Skilled Stay Nursing Homes at Admission

Abstract

Objectives: To estimate 30-day statin discontinuation among newly admitted nursing home residents overall and within categories of life-limiting illness.

Design: Retrospective cohort using Minimum Data Set 3.0 nursing home admission assessments from 2015 to 2016 merged to Medicare administrative data files.

Setting: U.S. Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing home facilities (n = 13,092).

Participants: Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, aged 65 years and older, newly admitted to nursing homes for non-skilled nursing facility stays on statin pharmacotherapy at the time of admission (n = 73,247).

Measurements: Residents were categorized using evidence-based criteria to identify progressive, terminal conditions or limited prognoses (<6 months). Discontinuation was defined as the absence of a new Medicare Part D claim for statin pharmacotherapy in the 30 days following nursing home admission.

Results: Overall, 19.9% discontinued statins within 30 days of nursing home admission, with rates that varied by life-limiting illness classification (no life-limiting illness: 20.5%; serious illness: 18.6%; receipt of palliative care consult: 34.5%; clinician designated as end-of-life: 45.0%). Relative to those with no life-limiting illness, risk of 30-day statin discontinuation increased with life-limiting illness severity (serious illness: adjusted risk ratio (aRR) = 1.06; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02-1.10; palliative care index diagnosis: aRR = 1.15; 95% CI = 1.10-1.21; palliative care consultation: aRR = 1.58; 95% CI = 1.43-1.74; clinician designated as end of life: aRR = 1.59; 95% CI = 1.42-1.79). Nevertheless, most remained on statins after entering the nursing home regardless of life-limiting illness status.

Conclusion: Statin use continues in a large proportion of Medicare beneficiaries after admission to a nursing home. Additional deprescribing research, which identifies how to engage nursing home residents and healthcare providers in a process to safely and effectively discontinue medications with questionable benefits, is warranted.

Keywords: deprescribing; long-term care; nursing home; older adults; statins.