Medication adherence among community-dwelling patients with heart failure.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To determine medication use and adherence among community-dwelling patients with heart failure (HF).

Patients and methods

Residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, with HF were recruited from October 10, 2007, through February 25, 2009. Pharmacy records were obtained for the 6 months after enrollment. Medication adherence was measured by the proportion of days covered (PDC). A PDC of less than 80% was classified as poor adherence. Factors associated with medication adherence were investigated.

Results

Among the 209 study patients with HF, 123 (59%) were male, and the mean ± SD age was 73.7 ± 13.5 years. The median (interquartile range) number of unique medications filled during the 6-month study period was 11 (8-17). Patients with a documented medication aller

SUBMITTER: Dunlay SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3068886 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature