Medication discrepancy: a concordance problem between dialysis patients and caregivers

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Clinical Pharmacy
• Patient Adherence Research

Background:

• Extensive drug use and patient-caregiver non-concordance in prescriptions are linked to medication non-adherence and illness.
• Accurate drug use estimation requires integrating patient self-reports with medical records.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate self-reported drug consumption in dialysis patients.
• To assess the congruence between patient-reported medication use and official medical records.

Main Methods:

• A multicentre study involving 204 dialysis patients (hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis) across 10 Swedish clinics.
• Comparison of patient-reported medication intake against official medication lists to identify discrepancies.

Main Results:

• Patients reported a median intake of 11 prescribed medications, increasing to 12 with on-demand drugs.
• Significant discrepancies between self-reported and recorded medications were found in 80.4% of patients, averaging three per patient.

Conclusions:

• Dialysis patients exhibit a high medication burden with considerable deviations between actual consumption and prescriptions.
• Implementing a unified, accessible medication list for patients and prescribers could enhance concordance.
• Further analysis of discrepancy causes and tailored interventions are crucial for improving medication adherence.