Cardiovascular monitoring for people with cardiovascular disease and schizophrenia

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of premature death among people with schizophrenia. Some atypical antipsychotics increase total and low-density lipoprotein and decrease high-density lipoprotein, thereby increasing the risk of coronary heart disease. Although adults with schizophrenia are more likely than those without schizophrenia to have higher levels of blood cholesterol, they are less likely to receive common treatments, such as statins.

Patient population: People 18–64 years of age with schizophrenia and cardiovascular disease.

Quality Goal: Ensure patients have a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) test every year.