Terri R. Fried|Mary Tinetti|Virginia Towle|John O’Leary|Lynne Iannone
Effects of Benefits and Harms on Older Persons' Willingness to Take Medication for Primary Cardiovascular Prevention
qualityassurance initiatives encourage adherence evidencedbased guidelines based consideration treatment benefit examined older persons willingness take medication primary cardiovascular disease prevention according benefits harmsinperson interviews performed 356 communityliving older persons participants asked willingness take medication primary prevention myocardial infarction mi varying benefits terms absolute 5year risk reduction varying harms terms type severity adverse effectsmost 88 would take medication providing absolute benefit 6 fewer persons mi 100 approximating average risk reduction currently available medications participants would take 17 changed preference absolute benefit increased 10 fewer persons mi participants would take 82 remained willing absolute benefit decreased 3 fewer persons mi contrast large proportions 4869 unwilling uncertain taking medication average benefit causing mild fatigue nausea fuzzy thinking 3 would take medication adverse effects severe enough affect functioningolder persons willingness take medication primary cardiovascular disease prevention relatively insensitive benefit highly sensitive adverse effects results suggest clinical guidelines decisions prescribing medications older persons need place emphasis benefits harms