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Implications of Under-Reporting Medication Side Effects: Beta-Blockers in Heart Failure as a Case Example
Fabian Vargas1, Joanna Bryan Ringel1, Brian Yum1
1Divisions of Cardiology and General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, 420 East 70th Street LH-365, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
Drugs & Aging
|February 17, 2023
Summary
Under-reporting beta-blocker side effects in heart failure patients is common, particularly in Black patients and those with less education. This may affect their willingness to take further medications.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Perceiving medication side effects without reporting them to clinicians is a frequent occurrence.
- Understanding patterns of this under-reporting is crucial for patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the patterns and determinants of under-reporting perceived beta-blocker side effects in patients with heart failure.
- To explore the implications of under-reporting on medication adherence and willingness to take additional medications.
Main Methods:
- A survey on medication-taking behavior was administered to 1114 patients with heart failure from the REGARDS cohort.
- Under-reporters were defined as those experiencing side effects but not reporting them to a clinician.
- Multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with under-reporting, including demographics and pill burden.
Main Results:
- Among 310 respondents taking beta-blockers, 28% were under-reporters.
- Black race (OR 2.11) and education less than college (OR 2.00) were significantly associated with under-reporting.
- Under-reporters showed similar adherence but were less willing to take additional medications to prevent future medical events.
Conclusions:
- Under-reporting of beta-blocker side effects is prevalent in heart failure patients.
- Black race and lower educational attainment are key determinants of under-reporting.
- This behavior may influence patient decisions regarding future medication use for disease prevention.
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