Medication adherence interventions can help avoid hospitalizations for heart disease patients

Poor adherence to medication regimens is a common problem among patients with cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, and heart failure. Poor adherence is one reason mortality rates among those patients remain high. Todd Ruppar, associate professor in the Sinclair School of Nursing at the University of Missouri, has found that a variety of interventions aimed at increasing medication adherence can help people with cardiovascular disease avoid the hospital. Ruppar will address the barriers to medication adherence during the Public Health Grand Rounds offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday, Feb. 21 in Atlanta.

"Medication is a critical part of cardiovascular disease treatment, and adhering to medication instructions is essential in patient self-care," Ruppar said. "Unfortunately, many patients don't take their medications as prescribed, which increases their risk for heart attack, stroke, or worsening of heart failure symptoms that will impair physical function, and lead to a higher risk for hospital visits and death."

Ruppar's research examines different medication interventions for adults with cardiovascular disease. Different interventions include education and telephone monitoring, interventions designed to link medication-taking with daily habits and routines, video-based patient education, post-discharge home visits, computer-based programs, and medication diaries.

"Affordability, a lack of understanding the importance of medication and side effects are some of the reasons patients don't take their medications as directed," Ruppar said. "The reasons will differ for each patient, so knowing that we have a set of interventions that work will help health care providers and patients improve medication adherence, leading to better outcomes for the patient."​

Source: http://www.muhealth.org/