Medications adherence post-primary percutaneous coronary intervention in acute myocardial infarction: A population-based cohort study.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: The use of medications for secondary prevention is the cornerstone in the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD). However, adherence to these medications is still suboptimal worldwide. This retrospective observational study aimed to assess the adherence to post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) medications, along with predictors of non-adherence. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study to assess the adherence to post-PCI medications by determining the rate of prescription refills for 12 months after discharge among STEMI patients, as well as predictors of non-adherence. Adherence was assessed by medication availability 80% of the time monitored by the prescription refills rate for 1 year post-discharge. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: A total of 1334 patients who presented with STEMI and underwent primary PCI were included in our retrospective analysis. The majority of patients included were male (96%) with a mean age of 51 ± 10.2 years. The overall adherence rate for all medications was only 28.4%, with an individual adherence rate of 50.5% for aspirin, 49.9% for P2 Y12 inhibitors, 48.1% for statins, 39.6% for beta-blockers and 42.9% for angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB). Factors that increased the likelihood of non-adherence were prolonged hospital length of stay and getting the medications with charge (aOR = 1.94, 95% CI 1.1-3.3; p-value = 0.017, aOR = 1.87, 95% CI 1.1-3.3; p-value = 0.029, respectively), while having a regular follow-up after discharge and attending the first clinic appointment were significantly associated with decreased likelihood of non-adherence (aOR = 0.01, 95% CI 0.004-0.04; p-value < 0.001, aOR = 0.06, 95% CI 0.03-0.1; p-value < 0.001, respectively). WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: The adherence rate to post-PCI medications among patients with STEMI was relatively low; however, attending the first outpatient clinic appointment and having a regular follow-up reduced the likelihood of non-adherence.

Medication Adherence in Elderly Diabetic Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study From Dakshina Kannada, India.

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) has emerged as a major global healthcare problem. The risk of diabetes can be reduced by maintaining blood glycaemic levels, which can be achieved by stringent adherence to the treatment regime. Therefore, there is a continuing need to assess the level of adherence to medication/self-care activities and the factors that are related to non-adherence to medication and self-care. This would facilitate healthcare professionals to identify subjects with low medication adherence and thereby aid them in planning interventions to improve medication and self-care adherence. In this study, we aimed to estimate the proportion of medication adherence among diabetic patients above 60 years of age attending a tertiary care hospital in Southern India. We found that 72% of type 2 diabetes patients were adherent to the medications prescribed to them and there was a discernible effect of gender and literacy on medication adherence. However, more such regional studies need to be conducted with a larger sample size from diverse hospital setups to obtain a clear and unbiased picture of the drug adherence scenario in India.

Adherence to Statin Among Diabetic Patients in Diabetic Centers in Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia.

Background Dyslipidemia affects approximately one-third of Saudi Arabia's adult population. Dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), smoking, and a familial predisposition to cardiovascular disease (CVD) are significant risk factors for CVD. It can be prevented effectively through lifestyle changes and lifelong statin therapy; however, poor adherence limits its effectiveness. This study is designed to assess the level of adherence to statin prescription in patients with DM in diabetic centers in the Qassim region and to assess the factors associated with neglecting to take medication. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted among 226 diabetic patients who were prescribed statins. Medication adherence was assessed using the eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8). Demographic and clinical data were collected, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with medication adherence. Results Of the 226 patients, 29.7% had high adherence, 32.7% had medium adherence, and 37.6% had low adherence to statin medication. Patients diagnosed with diabetes for less than five years had the highest proportion of low adherence (41.2%). No significant associations were found between medication adherence and gender, nationality, or educational level. Conclusion The study found that medication adherence to statins in diabetic patients in the Al Qassim region of Saudi Arabia is suboptimal, with a significant proportion of patients having low adherence. Patients diagnosed with diabetes for less than five years had the highest proportion of low adherence, suggesting that patients with a shorter disease duration may require additional support or interventions to improve their medication adherence. Healthcare providers should emphasize the importance of medication adherence and work with patients to develop personalized treatment plans that include medication and lifestyle modifications to optimize lipid control and improve overall health outcomes in diabetic patients.

Priority Outcomes in Sickle Cell Disease Treatment: Co-Creation and Implementation of a Preference Exercise With Patients and Caregivers to Inform Drug Development.

Involving patients as co-leaders and co-creators in research is key to reflecting the patient's voice in decision-making. However, co-creation of patient-centered data to inform decisions is rare, especially in early drug development where patient input is critical to prioritizing patient-relevant outcomes and endpoints for use in clinical trials. Despite the industry's growing commitment to patient centricity, most patients are excluded from sharing their expertise in research; more inclusive methods of engaging patients as research partners are needed. We describe a collaboration between a pharmaceutical company and a patient organization in co-leading and co-creating a program to understand priorities of patients and caregivers for treatment features and outcomes in sickle cell disease to inform endpoint selection in clinical development. The results of this program will be used as a basis for continued interaction between patients and the sponsor and to inform ongoing clinical development and evidence-generation activities. This case study demonstrates an approach to meaningful collaborations between patient organizations and pharmaceutical companies aimed at including the patient's voice early in the medical product lifecycle.

Assessment of calcium and vitamin D medications adherence in patients with hypoparathyroidism after thyroidectomy.

In this study, we found that patients with hypoparathyroidism had a problem with calcium medication compliance, and this problem increased with the duration of the disease. We also showed that patients are concerned about the possible side effects of drugs. INTRODUCTION: In this study, we aimed to evaluate adherence to active vitamin D and calcium replacement in patients with post-surgical hypoparathyroidism. METHODS: To elucidate the medication adherence, we performed a questionnaire survey using the six-item "Medication adherence questionnaire"(MAQ). The first, second, and sixth questions reflect the motivation status of the patients whereas the third, fourth, and fifth questions reflect the knowledge about the medication that is received. The responses are scored and patients are classified regarding their motivation to and knowledge about the particular drug. RESULTS: Totally, 64 patients (male: 12/female: 52; mean age 48.6±11.6 years) who had post-operative hypoparathyroidism were included in our study. Median disease durance was 60 months (min-max: 12-295 months). We found that motivation score of calcium usage was significantly lower compared to vitamin D usage (p<0.001). The calcium motivation score was reversely correlated with disease duration (r= -0.256 and p=0.046). The most common worry about calcium usage was nephrotoxicity, and the most common worries about calcitriol treatment were kidney damage and polyuria. One-third of the patients were taking oral calcium and calcitriol less than the recommended dose. CONCLUSION: One-third of patients lack motivation to use calcium whereas half of the patients experiences anxiety about drug-related side effects. This is a preliminary study showing that vital calcium and active vitamin D intake may be interrupted due to side effect anxiety.

"Acquiring the Skills Needed to Communicate What Is in Our Teams' Heart: Love, Compassion and Partnership": Qualitative Analysis of Intact Multidisciplinary Teams' Experience of Relationship-Centered Communication Training.

The Partnership Enhancement Program (PEP) is a 6-hour relationship-centered communication training for intact cystic fibrosis (CF) teams. The aim of this study was to analyze qualitative responses from survey participants regarding their takeaways from the training. A total of 210 professionals participated in 20 pilot workshops at 19 care centers in the United States from November 2018 to December 2019. After the workshop, qualitative feedback was captured by PEP facilitators during a feedback gathering session or submitted immediately in writing by participants. The manuscript team used grounded theory and qualitative methods of coding to identify recurring themes across participant responses. Thematic analysis revealed 5 primary themes and a web of interconnected subthemes. Primary themes include the acquisition of skills to improve communication, strengthened patient/provider connection, improved quality of communication, improved team building, and the ability to change and enhance practice. Participants who completed PEP training endorse acquiring communication skills that increase coproduction of care with patients and caregivers as well as improve relationships across the healthcare system.

Dementia and Adherence to Anti-Diabetic Medications: A Meta-Analysis.

Introduction Diabetes mellitus (DM) and dementia (DN) are common morbid disorders with high mortality, the two disorders shared the pathogenesis of proinflammation and insulin resistance. Polypharmacy is expected when DM and DN co-exist and medication adherence is essential to an effective self-care and management plan. This meta-analysis aimed to assess medication persistence among patients with diabetes and cognitive impairment (CogImp). Methods We systematically searched the literature through PubMed, Medline, Cochrane library, and the first 100 articles published in Google Scholar. We included articles publishes in English and conducted on humans, no limitation was set to the date of publication, all the articles were approached from the first published up to March 15, 2021. The keywords used were Dementia, cognitive impairment, cognitive decline, cognitive dysfunction, diabetes self-care, compliance to anti-diabetic drugs, and medication adherence. One hundred-seventy-six were identified, the 12 full texts screened, only four fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results The studies were published in Europe, the United States, and Asia (all were observational). The results showed no effects of dementia on medication adherence, P-value of 0.41, odd ratio: 1.09, 95% CI: 0.89-1.32, Chi-square for heterogeneity: 12.15, I2 = 75%, and standard difference = 3. The P-value for heterogeneity was 0.007. The studies included 2,556 patients and 1,854 events. Conclusion No association was found between dementia and compliance to anti-diabetic medications. Further prospective studies are needed to solve the issue.

Countering Hesitancy and Misinformation on Side Effects to Complete the Course of COVID Vaccination.

It has been well-documented that concerns about side effects prevent many from soliciting immunization. And family medicine providers play a key role in addressing concerns about COVID vaccines. However, there are few documented examples of the decision-making process regarding second shots after the emergence of a concerning and previously unknown side effect. Therefore, we present a case where a primary care provider and patient worked together to analyze real-time adverse event data on post-vaccination shingles to decide whether to receive the second dose.

What Will Keep Me Coming Back to the Clinic: Factors Identified by Filipino Colorectal Cancer Patients Seen at a National Academic Referral Center.

Health-care decisions in the Philippines are widely affected by various factors such as family, community, health-care access, and educational attainment. We designed a questionnaire to evaluate patient views at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital colorectal multidisciplinary clinic to identify factors that contribute to continued follow-up at the colorectal multidisciplinary clinic. A total of 128 patients, 62% of whom were being treated with curative intent participated in the study. We found that trust in their physicians, presence of family support, and affordability of treatment were factors highly valued by patients consulting at the clinic.

An evaluation of adherence to anti-diabetic medications among type 2 diabetic patients in a Sudanese outpatient clinic.

INTRODUCTION: Adherence to anti-diabetic medication is a known cornerstone in the management of type 2 diabetic patients. We sought to assess the factors associated with adherence to medication s among type 2 diabetic patients being followed up in a Sudanese outpatient clinic. METHODS: This cross-sectional study conducted among 102 patients with type 2 diabetes attending an outpatient clinic in Omdurman, Sudan during the period from June to December 2017. Participants were interviewed using a structured questionnaire to collect demographic data, number, and type of medications, polypharmacy, medications side effects, financial problems and education regarding drug used. The study of participants' adherence to anti-diabetic medications was assessed using a validated questionnaire asking the patients about the percent and self-rating of adherence (Excellent, very good, good, fair and poor). The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to compare the adherent patients and their counterparts. A P-value < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The study results summarized the following: participants (70.6% women), their mean age was (59.62±9.91) years and nearly 60.8% were housewives, their glycated hemoglobin (mean± SD) was about 10.16±3.14, 37.3%, it implies that the patients were non-adherent to medications. In addition, other groups of patients with medication but non-adherence were younger ones (55.94±9.94 vs. 61.81±9.36, P=0.04) and had shown inadequate glycemic control (11.33±3.05vs. 9.47±3.04, P=0.04), however, this group of patients has reported more drug-related side effects (57.8% vs. 28.1%) because they were taking more drugs compared to their counterparts( F=4.115, P=0.047). The present study found no statistically significant differences in the following factors such as sex, occupation, education level, financial problems and insulin use. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the study revealed that adherence to anti-diabetic medications was sub-optimal among Sudanese type 2 diabetic patients and was associated with higher glycated hemoglobin seen among younger age groups. Besides the above, overdosing of medications and their side effects were evident.

Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of text messages targeting adherence to cardiovascular medications in secondary prevention: the txt2heart Colombia randomised controlled trial protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Anti-platelet therapy, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers, beta-blockers and statins are cost-effective in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) for reducing the risk of ASCVD events. Unfortunately, there is abundant evidence that adherence to these cardiovascular medications is far from ideal. A recent Cochrane review showed a potential beneficial effect of Short Message Service (SMS) interventions on adherence to medication in ASCVD patients. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The txt2heart study is a pragmatic randomised single-blind controlled trial. The objective is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an intervention with SMS messages delivered by mobile phones to improve adherence to cardiovascular medications in patients with ASCVD. The intervention consists of behavioural techniques delivered via SMS. The primary outcome is change in blood serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels as an indicator of adherence to statins. Secondary outcomes will include systolic blood pressure as an indicator of adherence to blood-lowering therapies and heart rate as an indicator of adherence to beta-blockers, urine levels of 11-dehydrothromboxane B2, self-reported adherence to cardiovascular medications and rates of cardiovascular death or hospitalisation due to cardiovascular disease. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study will be performed in compliance with the protocol, regulatory requirements, Good Clinical Practice and ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The Ethics Committee of Fundación Cardiovascular de Colombia evaluated and approved the trial. The txt2heart Colombia trial aims to provide robust evidence to evaluate whether SMS messages delivered through mobile telephones change the behaviour of Colombian patients who have suffered a cardiovascular event. Trial results will be presented to the local health authorities, and if the intervention is effective and safe, we hope this strategy will be implemented quickly because of its low cost and wide-reaching impact on the population. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03098186.

Nurturing a Caring Connection in an Opioid Epidemic.

The current national opioid crisis poses challenges to the physician-patient relationship. This vignette describes a patient scenario which served as a personal reminder of how the physicians caring role must remain the highest priority while trying to address prescribing concerns.

The adherence to medications in diabetic patients in rural Kerala, India.

We conducted a study to determine medications adherence and factors associated with poor adherence in community-dwelling adults with diabetes in southern India. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 346 diabetes patients selected using multistage cluster sampling. The 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale was used to collect information on adherence. Prevalence of poor adherence was 74% (95% confidence interval = 69.2-78.3). Multiple regression analysis showed that patients using oral hypoglycemic agents, who had lower per capita monthly expenditure, those with irregular blood sugar monitoring, who received limited diabetes management instructions from health professionals, who resorted to only symptomatic management, and those who did not receive family member's help to remember medications were more likely to report poor adherence compared with their counterparts. Interventions for patients using oral hypoglycemic agents, with lower expenditure, with irregular blood sugar monitoring, and which focus on better education and enhanced family support, are likely to enhance adherence in this population.

Medication adherence and its determinants among patients on concomitant tuberculosis and antiretroviral therapy in South west ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: To benefit from therapy and to avoid contracting treatment resistant strains, the individuals must adhere to medications. AIM: The study was designed to assess the degree of drug adherence and its determinants in patients living with HIV/AIDS and TB comorbidity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the degree of drug adherence and its determinants with the help of self-administered questionnaires in Tercha District Hospital in South Ethiopia. RESULT: A total of 24 patients were included in the study. The majority were females (54.2%) and the mean age was 32.4 (SD±9.6) years. Adherence level was 95.8% for Antiretroviral (ARV) medications and 79.2% for anti TB medications. Educational status was associated with anti TB (P=0.021) medication adherence. The reason for the missed doses were mostly lack of money for transport (23.7% for antiretroviral therapy (ART), 26.0% for TB treatment) and forgetting to take medications (18.4% for ART, 17.4% for TB treatment. CONCLUSION: The adherence level obtained for both ARV and anti-TB where high. Transportation costs for patients could be reduced by bringing the services close to where they live.