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Medication Non-Adherence among Patients with Heart Failure
Zahid U Rehman1, Arsalan K Siddiqui2, Musa Karim1
1Miscellaneous, National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Karachi, PAK.
Cureus
|October 12, 2019
Summary
Medication adherence in heart failure (HF) patients is crucial. A study in Karachi found 23.5% of HF patients were non-adherent, especially those from rural areas and with less education.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Public Health
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Poor medication adherence is a significant issue for heart failure (HF) patients.
- Non-adherence leads to increased hospitalizations, reduced physical function, and mortality in HF patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess medication adherence levels among heart failure patients in Karachi using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8).
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 200 heart failure patients at a tertiary cardiac center in Karachi, Pakistan.
- Medication adherence was measured using the validated Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8).
- Patients scoring 8 on MMAS-8 were considered adherent; others were non-adherent.
Main Results:
- Overall, 76.5% of heart failure patients demonstrated adherence to their prescribed medications.
- 23.5% of patients were non-adherent, with moderate adherence noted in some.
- Non-adherence was more prevalent in rural residents and uneducated patients.
Conclusions:
- A significant proportion of heart failure patients in this population exhibit non-adherence to prescribed medications.
- Rural residence and lower educational attainment are associated with higher rates of non-adherence.
- Patient counseling on medication adherence is vital to reduce re-hospitalization and complications in heart failure management.
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