Severe mental illness and cardioprotective medication prescribing: a qualitative study in general practice.

Background: Patients with severe mental illness (SMI) die 10-20 years earlier than the general population. They have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) yet may experience lower cardioprotective medication prescribing.

Aim: To understand the challenges experienced by GPs in prescribing cardioprotective medication to patients with SMI.