Multi-compartment medication devices and patient compliance.

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Health Services Research
• Clinical Pharmacy

Background:

• Multi-compartment medication compliance devices are frequently used in primary care settings.
• Patient adherence to prescribed medication regimens remains a significant challenge in managing chronic conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of multi-compartment medication compliance devices in enhancing medication adherence among non-adherent adults living at home.
• To synthesize evidence from randomized controlled trials on the impact of these devices on health outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and crossover studies published between 1966 and 2003.
• Searches conducted in Medline and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts databases.
• Inclusion criteria: non-institutionalized adults with adherence issues, daily prescription medication use, comparison to standard packaging, and outcomes including pill counts, biological assays, or clinical response over at least three months.

Main Results:

• Two RCTs involving 148 patients met the inclusion criteria.
• One study indicated improved glucose control in diabetic patients using compliance devices compared to standard packaging.
• The second study found no significant impact of compliance devices on blood pressure control in hypertensive patients.

Conclusions:

• The effectiveness of multi-compartment medication compliance devices in promoting adherence varies by patient population and condition.
• Further research is required to establish the generalizability and efficacy of these devices for non-adherent adults at home.