Impact of the 2013 Cholesterol Guideline on Patterns of Lipid-Lowering Treatment in Patients with Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease or Diabetes After 1 Year.

Background: The 2013 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Treatment of Blood Cholesterol to Reduce Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Risk in Adults emphasizes evidence-based treatment with moderate- to high-dose statins for patients at high risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Whether this new guideline influenced patterns of treatment 1 year after its dissemination is unknown.

Objective: To compare patterns of lipid-lowering treatment before and 1 year after the release of the 2013 cholesterol guideline in 2 high-risk groups: patients with ASCVD and patients with diabetes mellitus.

Patient Characteristics and Prescribing Patterns Associated with Sofosbuvir Treatment for Chronic HCV Infection in a Commercially Insured Population.

Background: In December 2013, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved sofosbuvir (Sovaldi) for the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Given the potential "warehousing" of patients before the launch of sofosbuvir and the possibility that some patients and providers may have elected to continue deferring treatment in anticipation of more promising, interferon-free therapies in the pipeline, the early landscape for sofosbuvir treatment is difficult to ascertain.

Objective: To describe the demographics, clinical characteristics, and prescribing patterns associated with members requesting treatment with sofosbuvir in a commercially insured population in the United States.

Evaluation of Eligibility Criteria Used to Identify Patients for Medication Therapy Management Services: A Retrospective Cohort Study in a Medicare Advantage Part D Population.

Background: General eligibility criteria used by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to identify patients for medication therapy management (MTM) services include having multiple chronic conditions, taking multiple Part D drugs, and being likely to incur annual drug costs that exceed a predetermined threshold. The performance of these criteria in identifying patients in greatest need of MTM services is unknown. Although there are numerous possible versions of MTM identification algorithms that satisfy these criteria, there are limited data that evaluate the performance of MTM services using eligibility thresholds representative of those used by the majority of Part D sponsors.

Evaluation of a Nationwide Pharmacist-Led Phone Outreach Program to Improve Osteoporosis Management in Older Women with Recently Sustained Fractures.

Background: Osteoporosis-related fractures are a considerable economic burden on the U.S. health care system.

Impact of the New ACC/AHA Guidelines on the Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in a Managed Care Setting.

Background: In November 2013, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) together issued new guidelines for the treatment of patients with high cholesterol, providing a new paradigm for the management of cholesterol in the primary and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease.

Objective: To examine the impact of the 2013 ACC/AHA cholesterol treatment guidelines on pharmacy utilization of cholesterol-lowering drugs in a real-world managed care setting.

Methods: Pharmacy claims from OptumRx, a national pharmacy benefit management provider, for the period between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2013 (baseline period), were used to identify candidates for cholesterol-lowering therapy and to estimate the number of potential patients who will be starting or intensifying statin therapy based on the updated cholesterol treatment guidelines.

Adherence, persistence, and switching patterns of dabigatran etexilate.

Objective: To investigate adherence, persistence, and switching in patients initiating dabigatran.

Study Design: Descriptive analysis using pharmacy claims databases.

Methods: Patients with a claim for dabigatran and who were continuously enrolled in pharmacy benefits for 180 days prior to and 180 days following the initiation of dabigatran were identified and stratified by whether there was a history of warfarin treatment prior to dabigatran initiation.

Impact of a text messaging pilot program on patient medication adherence.

Background: Medication nonadherence is a well-recognized challenge associated with poor health outcomes and increased utilization of health care resources. Although many different behavioral and educational strategies are available to improve patient medication adherence, technological advances, including cell phone text messaging, represent new and innovative modalities to improve adherence and overall health outcomes.

Objective: To evaluate medication adherence among patients opting to receive text message medication reminders and a well-matched control cohort.

Outcomes of a rheumatoid arthritis disease therapy management program focusing on medication adherence.

Background: A national pharmacy benefits management company implemented a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease therapy management (DTM) program as an enhanced offering to patients receiving specialty pharmacy services. The program was designed to improve medication adherence, maximize therapeutic outcomes, and enhance physical functioning and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) by empowering patients and improving their knowledge of RA.

Objectives: To evaluate (a) adherence to injectable RA medications for patients participating in an RA DTM program compared with nonparticipating patients receiving injectable RA medications at specialty or community pharmacies and (b) HRQOL, work productivity, and physical functioning before versus after completing the RA DTM program.

Improving patient self-management of multiple sclerosis through a disease therapy management program.

Objective: To examine the effect of a multiple sclerosis (MS) disease therapy management (DTM) program that incorporates a disease self-management component and a medication therapy management component within a structured 7-month program.

Study Design: Observational cohort study.

Methods: Pharmacy claims were evaluated over an 8-month follow-up period to calculate injectable MS medication adherence and persistence among 156 continuously eligible patients who completed the DTM program compared with 156 patients in each of 2 propensity score-matched control groups (retail pharmacy patients and specialty pharmacy patients).

Effect of an intervention to increase statin use in medicare members who qualified for a medication therapy management program.

Background: The cardiovascular (CV) benefits of lipid-lowering therapy in older adults with hypercholesterolemia and underlying risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) have been well documented. Significant reductions in the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) and coronary death have been demonstrated with statin therapy, benefits that are of particular relevance in patients with diabetes. Managed care interventions with prescribers have increased the use of selected drugs such as statins.