Medication Adherence News and Research

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Nurse-led collaborative care significantly improves heart failure patient outcomes

Days alive and out of hospital were significantly increased in patients with heart failure when a nurse-coordinated collaborative care model was introduced, according to results presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2026 and published simultaneously in Circulation.

31 Aug 2026

Missing doses of antihypertensive medication erase life-saving cardiovascular benefits

The true impact of missing doses of blood pressure-lowering medication will be demonstrated in a presentation at ESC Congress 2026.

27 Aug 2026

Scientific statement reframes cardiovascular care for older patients with cognitive impairment and frailty

Older adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD) often have coexisting cognitive impairment and frailty, conditions that can significantly affect treatment decisions, recovery, independence and quality of life and should be considered as part of an aging-informed approach to care, according to a new American College of Cardiology Scientific Statement published in JACC, the flagship journal of the ACC.

10 Aug 2026

Food may taste different on GLP-1 drugs, but taste may not be the reason

The review suggests that patient-reported “taste changes” during GLP-1RA treatment may reflect reduced food enjoyment and motivation rather than consistent impairment of basic taste. The authors propose a sensory-liking-wanting framework while emphasizing that current human evidence remains heterogeneous and largely indirect.

4 Aug 2026

Study links GLP-1 treatment to fewer alcohol drinking days

Current GLP-1 receptor agonist prescriptions were associated with modestly lower AUDIT-C scores in a large, diverse US cohort. The difference appeared to reflect less frequent drinking rather than fewer drinks per occasion or fewer binge-drinking episodes.

13 Jul 2026

Smartphone apps and wearables help heart disease patients stay active

Smartphone apps, fitness trackers and wearable devices help people with heart disease get more physical activity in their daily lives, according to an analysis of previous research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

17 Jun 2026

Urine drug test may boost adherence to blood pressure medications

The largest ever UK trial of a urine test used across the NHS to spot when patients skip their medication has shown it may improve adherence to treatment.

12 Jun 2026

Could GLP-1 drugs help prevent breast cancer? New study points to a possible link

A large retrospective cohort study of 111,646 overweight or obese women found that GLP-1 agonist exposure was associated with lower breast cancer incidence. After propensity-score matching, GLP-1 exposure was linked to nearly 30% lower odds of breast cancer, but the authors stress that randomized trials are needed before these drugs can be considered for prevention.

3 Jun 2026

Global hypertension burden rising sharply in lower-income countries

In theory, hypertension is a disease that is both easy to test for and readily treatable with existing medications and lifestyle interventions.

13 May 2026

Could GLP-1 drugs help breast cancer patients live longer?

A large retrospective cohort study of adult female breast cancer patients found that GLP-1 receptor agonist use was associated with better all-cause survival and recurrence-free survival in patients with obesity or type 2 diabetes. The strongest associations were seen versus non-use in obesity and versus insulin or metformin in type 2 diabetes, while comparisons with SGLT2 inhibitors were less consistent and require further study.

12 May 2026

GLP-1 and dual GLP-1 / GIP drugs help lose body fat while preserving lean mass

New research to be presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025, Malaga, Spain, 11-14 May) shows that patients using GLP-1 or combined GLP-1 / GIP receptor agonist therapy for weight loss experienced minimal lean muscle mass loss as they lost weight across 6 months of treatment.

10 Apr 2026

Medicare reforms improve medication adherence among older adults with heart disease

Medicare beneficiaries with heart disease or major cardiovascular risk factors reported less cost-related medication non-adherence-skipping or reducing doses, delaying prescription fills or foregoing medications due to cost-after new provisions went into effect limiting out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26) and simultaneously published in JACC, the flagship journal of the ACC.

24 Mar 2026

FDA-cleared ADHD device not effective in reducing symptoms

A large multicenter clinical trial led by King's College London with 150 children and adolescents has shown that a device cleared by the US FDA to treat ADHD is not effective in reducing symptoms.

16 Jan 2026

Smoking cessation drug shows promise for treating cannabis use disorder

A new randomized controlled trial has found promising evidence that the smoking cessation medication varenicline (Chantix/Champix) can help people with cannabis use disorder (CUD) to reduce cannabis use.

15 Jan 2026

A pill that confirms you actually swallowed your medicine

SAFARI capsule technology offers a novel solution for medication adherence, using a dissolvable Faraday cage to verify ingestion without batteries or waste.

12 Jan 2026

Biodegradable pill improves medication adherence monitoring

In an advance that could help ensure people are taking their medication on schedule, MIT engineers have designed a pill that can report when it has been swallowed.

8 Jan 2026

Metabolic syndrome affects nearly four in ten US adults as rates climb in older and Black populations

A large NHANES analysis found that nearly four in ten US adults met criteria for metabolic syndrome between 2013 and 2023, with no statistically significant change in overall prevalence. However, prevalence rose significantly among adults aged 60 years and older and among non-Hispanic Black individuals, alongside a significant non-linear increase in hypertriglyceridemia.

14 Dec 2025

Study finds major gaps in cholesterol management among adults with cardiovascular disease

The Family Heart Foundation, a leading research and advocacy organization, published new research in the American Journal of Preventive Cardiology revealing significant gaps in cholesterol management during 2022-23 among U.S. adults with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).

3 Dec 2025

Study finds major setbacks in blood pressure prevention and management in England

A comprehensive new analysis by researchers at Queen Mary University of London warns that England has lost the substantial gains made in high blood pressure prevention, diagnosis and management during the 2000s.

27 Nov 2025

Metformin fails to improve insulin resistance in type 1 diabetes

Metformin treatment in type 1 diabetes lowers insulin dosage but does not improve insulin resistance, highlighting its complex role in diabetes management.

26 Nov 2025