Sickest patients less likely to get full care

From CTV News:
Two new studies by Canadian researchers suggest that patients in greatest need of heart medications and treatments are often less likely than moderately ill patients to be offered them, and it may because of what's known as the "treatment-risk paradox."

One of the studies, by researchers at universities in Edmonton and Calgary, showed that only 56 per cent of higher risk patients were taking statin drugs a month after being diagnosed with heart disease. In contrast, 63.5 per cent of lower risk patients were taking the drugs a month later.

After analyzing differences between the groups, the researchers found that patients who were depressed or whose lives were most restricted by their heart disease accounted for the difference. ...more