Medication adherence and persistence according to different antihypertensive drug classes: A retrospective cohort study of 255,500 patients.

Int J Cardiol

DAPI-German Institute for Drug Use Evaluation, Unter den Linden 19-23, 10117 Berlin, Germany; Department of Pharmacology, Biocenter, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Published: October 2016

Background: Suboptimal adherence to antihypertensives leads to adverse clinical outcomes. This study aims to determine and compare medication adherence and persistence to different first-line antihypertensive drug classes in a large cohort.

Methods: A cohort study was performed using claims data for prescriptions in the German statutory health insurance scheme that insures approximately 90% of the population. A total of 255,500 patients with a first prescription of an antihypertensive were included and followed for 24months. Persistence was determined based on gaps in continuous dispensation. Adherence was analyzed by calculating the medication possession ratio (MPR).

Results: Within a 2-year period, 79.3% of all incident users of antihypertensive monotherapy met the classification of non-persistence (gap >0.5 times the number of days supplied with medication) and 56.3% of non-adherence (MPR<0.8). Beta-blockers (42.5%) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (31.9%) were the most widely prescribed drug classes. Non-persistence and non-adherence were highest for diuretics (85.4%, n=6149 and 66.3%, n=4774) and lowest for beta-blockers (77.6%, n=76,729 and 55.2%, n=54,559). The first gap of antihypertensive medication occurred in median 160-250days after initiation, and the average medication possession ratio for all drug classes was less than 0.8. Fixed combinations with diuretics showed a 19.8% lower chance for non-adherence (OR=0.802, 99.9% CI=[0.715-0.900], p<0.001) and an 8.4% lower hazard for non-persistence (HR 0.916, 99.9% CI=[0.863-0.973], p<0.001) compared with monotherapies.

Conclusions: This large cohort study reveals important differences in 2-year adherence and persistence between antihypertensives that were lowest for diuretics. Fixed-dose combinations with diuretics may facilitate adherence compared to single substance products. However, effective strategies to improve adherence to antihypertensives are needed regardless of drug class.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2016.06.263DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

medication adherence
8
adherence persistence
8
antihypertensive drug
8
drug classes
8
cohort study
8
255500 patients
8
medication
4
antihypertensive
4
persistence antihypertensive
4
classes retrospective
4

Similar Publications

Influence of Ageing on the Pharmacodynamics and Pharmacokinetics of Chronically Administered Medicines in Geriatric Patients: A Review.

Clin Pharmacokinet

January 2025

Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.

As people age, the efficiency of various regulatory processes that ensure proper communication between cells and organs tends to decline. This deterioration can lead to difficulties in maintaining homeostasis during physiological stress. This includes but is not limited to cognitive impairments, functional difficulties, and issues related to caregivers which contribute significantly to medication errors and non-adherence.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Most veterinary literature examining medication compliance has described the phenomenon in dogs. The evidence available regarding factors affecting cat owner medication compliance is limited.

Objectives: Identify and describe factors associated with cat owners' noncompliance with veterinary recommendations for pet medications, as well as client-reported barriers and aids to administering medications prescribed by primary care veterinarians.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Hypertension in chronic kidney disease patients is very common. The definition of resistant hypertension in the general population is as follows: uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) on three or more hypotensive agents in adequate doses, or when patients are on four or more hypotensive agent categories irrespective of the BP control, with diuretics included in the therapy. However, these resistant hypertension definitions do not apply to the setting of end-stage kidney disease.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

: Although BRAF inhibitors, such as vemurafenib, produce a marked response in patients with advanced melanoma with a BRAF V600 mutation, they eventually develop resistance to this treatment. To address this issue, vemurafenib is increasingly combined with the MEK inhibitor cobimetinib, leading to improved response rates and enhanced survival. However, this treatment modality is associated with numerous side effects.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Fracture liaison services (FLS), often staffed by radiographers, identify and treat patients over the age of 50 at high risk of future fractures by intervening after the first fracture. Vertebral fragility fractures (VFF) are particularly disabling and are highly predictive of future fracture but are underdiagnosed as they often do not come to clinical attention. To review the behaviour traits of patient with opportunistically identified VFF's (OIVFF), local FLS data can be used to compare outcomes of OIVFF's with acute VFF's (AVFF) and non-hip/spine fragility fractures (NHSFF).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!