Table 2.

Current guideline recommendations and actual use of aspirin, antihypertensive medications and statins among US adults ≥ 55 years of age and those with a history of cardiovascular disease.

	Age ≥ 55 years (n=2,554)			History of Cardiovascular Disease† (n=592)
	Recommended use‡	Actual use	% uptake	Recommended use‡	Actual use	% uptake
Aspirin, %	84.2%	31.6%	37.5%	100%	44.5%	44.5%
Antihypertensives, %	60.1%	47.8%	79.5%	69.3%	61.0%	87.8%
Statins, %	63.7%	37.3%	58.6%	88.3%	57.0%	64.6%

n - number of NHANES 2007-2008 participants. Statin use is based on 977 participants ≥ 55 years and 240 participants with and history of cardiovascular disease who fasted prior to their study visit.

^†Includes individuals with a history of myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease, or stroke

^‡Recommended use is based on the American Heart Association guidelines for aspirin, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's JNC-7 guidelines for antihypertensive medication, and the National Cholesterol Education Program's Third Adult Treatment Panel guidelines for statins.