A pharmaceutical care program to improve adherence to statin therapy: a randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology and Pharmacy Practice
• Cardiovascular Disease Management
• Public Health Interventions

Background:

• Statin therapy is crucial for cardiovascular health but faces challenges with patient adherence.
• Non-adherence to statins can lead to suboptimal treatment outcomes and increased healthcare costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a community pharmacy-based pharmaceutical care program designed to enhance patient adherence to statin therapy.
• To assess the effectiveness of pharmacist-led interventions in improving medication adherence among new statin users.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, randomized controlled trial involving 899 new statin users across 26 community pharmacies.
• Intervention group received 5 individual counseling sessions over 1 year, focusing on adherence education and lipid level monitoring.
• Adherence measured by discontinuation rates at 6 and 12 months and medication possession ratio (MPR).

Main Results:

• The pharmaceutical care program significantly reduced statin discontinuation within the first 6 months (HR 0.66).
• No significant difference in discontinuation rates was observed at 12 months (HR 0.84).
• High median MPR (>99%) was observed in both groups, with no significant difference.

Conclusions:

• Community pharmacy-based pharmaceutical care is feasible and effective in improving initial statin adherence.
• Sustained positive effects on adherence require frequent counseling sessions (e.g., quarterly).
• The program is easily scalable, cost-effective, and applicable to a broader patient population.