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Statin use in American Indians and Alaska Natives with coronary artery disease

Catherine E Cooke1, James L Bresette, Rozina Khanna

  • 1Pfizer U.S. Pharmaceuticals, Ellicott City, MD, USA. cecooke1@hotmail.com

American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy : AJHP : Official Journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
|September 9, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Statin therapy use was approximately 40% among American Indians and Alaska Natives with coronary artery disease (CAD). Adherence rates were around 60%, with factors like age and sex influencing both use and adherence.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Pharmacotherapy
  • Health Disparities

Background:

  • Coronary artery disease (CAD) poses a significant health burden.
  • American Indians and Alaska Natives experience disproportionately high rates of cardiovascular events.
  • Understanding statin therapy utilization is crucial for managing CAD in high-risk populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the utilization and adherence rates of statin therapy.
  • To examine factors associated with statin use and adherence in American Indians and Alaska Natives with CAD.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of Indian Health Service database (Phoenix Area).
  • Identified patients with CAD in calendar year 2002.
  • Assessed statin use via prescription data and adherence using medication possession ratio (MPR), persistence, and median gap in 2003.

Main Results:

  • Statin therapy was prescribed to 41.3% of the 2095-patient cohort with CAD.
  • Statin users were more likely to be male, younger than 80, and have more medical visits.
  • Mean MPR was 0.78, with approximately 40% nonadherence; adherence varied by age and sex.

Conclusions:

  • Approximately 40% of American Indians and Alaska Natives with CAD used statins, with a 60% adherence rate.
  • Statin use was associated with age, sex, and healthcare utilization.
  • Adherence to statin therapy was influenced by age and sex in this population.
Abstract

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