This measure assesses the percentage of members 18–64 years of age with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and cardiovascular disease, who had an LDL-C test during the measurement year.
Why It Matters
Compared to the general population, individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder are at significantly higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease.1 This disparity is believed to be driven in part by a higher occurrence of dyslipidemia in people with serious mental illness.2 For example, use of certain atypical antipsychotic drugs is associated with increased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol— a marker that indicates elevated risk for coronary heart disease.3
Among patients with co-occurring schizophrenia and metabolic disorders, rates of nontreatment were 62.4% for hypertension and 88.0% for hyperlipidemia. Atypical antipsychotic medications elevate the risk of metabolic conditions, relative to typical antipsychotic medications.4
Historical Results – National Averages
Cardiovascular Monitoring for People With Cardiovascular Disease and Schizophrenia
| Measurement Year | Medicaid HMO |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 78.3 |
| 2022 | 76 |
| 2021 | 74.9 |
| 2020 | 72.8 |
| 2019 | 77.4 |
| 2018 | 76.9 |
| 2017 | 78.5 |
| 2016 | 77.8 |
| 2015 | 78.0 |
| 2014 | 76.2 |
| 2013 | 79.1 |
This State of Healthcare Quality Report classifies health plans differently than NCQA’s Quality Compass. HMO corresponds to All LOBs (excluding PPO and EPO) within Quality Compass. PPO corresponds to PPO and EPO within Quality Compass.
Figures do not account for changes in the underlying measure that could break trending. Contact Information Products via my.ncqa.org for analysis that accounts for trend breaks.
References
- Rossom, R.C., S.A. Hooker, P.J. O’Connor, A.L. Crain, and J.M. Sperl‐Hillen. 2022. “Cardiovascular Risk for Patients With and Without Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, or Bipolar Disorder.” Journal of the American Heart Association 11 (6): e021444.
- Henderson, D.C., B. Vincenzi, N.V. Andrea, M. Ulloa, and P.M. Copeland. 2015. “Pathophysiological Mechanisms of Increased Cardiometabolic Risk in People with Schizophrenia and Other Severe Mental Illnesses.” The Lancet Psychiatry 2 (5): 452–64.
- Pillinger, T., R.A. McCutcheon, L. Vano, Y. Mizuno, A. Arumuham, G. Hindley, K. Beck, et al. 2020. “Comparative Effects of 18 Antipsychotics on Metabolic Function in Patients with Schizophrenia, Predictors of Metabolic Dysregulation, and Association with Psychopathology: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.” The Lancet Psychiatry 7 (1): 64–77.
- Nasrallah H.A. 2008. “Atypical Antipsychotic-Induced Metabolic Side Effects: Insights From Receptor-Binding Profiles.” Mol Psychiatry 13(1): 27–35.