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Medication non-adherence in heart transplant patients
Nadja Van Geen Poltronieri1, Rita Simone Lopes Moreira1, Janine Schirmer1
1Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Enfermagem, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Revista Da Escola De Enfermagem Da U S P
|December 9, 2020
Summary
Medication non-adherence is common in heart transplant recipients, affecting 46.7% according to the Basel Assessment of Adherence to Immunosuppressive Medications Scale (BAASIS). This highlights challenges in adhering to complex immunosuppressive medication regimens post-transplant.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Transplantation Medicine
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Heart transplantation is a life-saving procedure requiring lifelong immunosuppression.
- Medication non-adherence is a significant barrier to long-term graft survival and patient outcomes.
- Accurate assessment tools are crucial for identifying and addressing non-adherence in post-transplant care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify medication non-adherence in heart transplant patients using the Basel Assessment of Adherence to Immunosuppressive Medications Scale (BAASIS) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).
- To explore the relationship between medication adherence, biopsy results, comorbidities, and survival.
- To evaluate the utility of BAASIS in capturing patient-reported adherence challenges.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative historical cohort study.
- Inclusion of 60 patients who underwent heart transplantation between 2009 and 2016.
- Utilized BAASIS and VAS for medication adherence assessment.
Main Results:
- 46.7% of patients exhibited medication non-adherence per BAASIS.
- 25% of non-adherent patients reported delays in medication intake.
- Common comorbidities included systemic arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and chronic renal failure.
Conclusions:
- Medication non-adherence is prevalent in 46.7% of heart transplant patients, as indicated by BAASIS.
- High adherence scores were reported via VAS by both patients (93.3%) and nurses (83.3%).
- BAASIS effectively identifies patient-reported difficulties with medication timing and dosage adjustments.
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