Influence of patient sex and gender on medication use, adherence, and prescribing alignment with guidelines.

Background: This study evaluates the differences between women and men in medication use, medication adherence, and prescribing alignment with clinical guidelines.

Methods: We conducted an analysis of pharmacy and medical claims for 29.5 million adults with prescription benefits administered by a pharmacy benefits manager in the United States, age 18 and older, between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2010.

Relation of statin nonadherence and treatment intensification.

Failure to intensify medication and failure to adhere to medication have been shown to contribute to suboptimal low-density lipoprotein cholesterol goal attainment. To examine whether nonadherence to statins in 126,903 patients on stable statin therapy is associated with subsequent treatment intensification, we conducted a retrospective analysis using an integrated pharmacy and medical claims database. Pharmacy claims were analyzed to determine whether nonadherence, as measured by proportion of days covered on statins <80%, was associated with intensification of statin treatment over a 360-day follow-up.

Lack of uniformity in cardiac assessment during trastuzumab therapy.

Adjuvant therapy with trastuzumab is standard in women with early stage HER-2-positive breast cancer. Following reports of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction with trastuzumab in metastatic disease, trials of adjuvant trastuzumab specified LV monitoring schedules. This study analyzes the pattern of cardiac testing and the incidence of heart failure (HF) in women treated with adjuvant trastuzumab in a real-world setting.

Adherence to statins, subsequent healthcare costs, and cardiovascular hospitalizations.

Statins are the primary agents used to decrease low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Although adherence to statins improves the clinical outcomes, the affect of statin adherence on healthcare costs has not been well studied. To examine the relation among statin adherence, subsequent hospitalizations, and healthcare costs, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of 381,422 patients, aged 18 to 61 years, using an integrated pharmacy and medical claims database.

Antihypertensive medication adherence and subsequent healthcare utilization and costs.

Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between adherence to antihypertensive medications (AHMs) and subsequent hospitalizations, emergency department (ED) visits, and costs of care.

Study Design: Retrospective analysis of a national pharmacy benefits database of deidentified pharmacy and medical claims among patients with a diagnosis of hypertension. Adherence was estimated using the medication possession ratio (MPR).