This survey was initially conceived as an audit to highlight the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (UK), guidelines on depression in 2004. In particular, the audit was to examine the guidance on the prescription of Venlafaxine, which required an electrocardiogram (ECG), and blood pressure measurements.
A retrospective case note review by the authors, of 123 patients prescribed Venlafaxine within Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust was completed.
Nearly 50 per cent of patients had a blood pressure measurement prior to starting Venlafaxine compared to only 6 per cent of patients receiving an ECG.
The audit cycle could not be completed following the publication of a further set of guidelines that removed the need for ECG recordings.
This paper highlights how difficult it is for clinicians to keep up‐to‐date, and implement rapidly changing guidelines.
