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Optimal threshold of adherence to lipid lowering drugs in predicting acute coronary syndrome, stroke, or mortality: A cohort study.

ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVE:Thresholds defining medication adherence are rarely evidence-based. A threshold of 0.8 is typically presumed to achieve improved outcomes. We aimed to assess the optimal threshold of adherence to lipid-lowering drugs (LLD) in predicting cardiovascular-related (CV) outcomes in patients with hypertension. DESIGN:Cohort study of new users of LLDs. SETTING:Comprehensive healthcare administrative databases of the province of Alberta (Canada) from 2008 to 2016. PARTICIPANTS:Patients with hypertension, who were new users of LLDs. Patients who had the outcomes prior to the initiation of LLD were excluded. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES:Hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome (ACS)/stroke, CV-related mortality and all-cause mortality. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:Adherence to LLDs was assessed as the proportion of days covered (PDC) by any LLD, from drug initiation to censoring, outcome, or study end. Three methods were used to assess the threshold: Contal and O'Quigley method, minimum distance method, and Youden's J index. Cox regressions were used to assess the risk associated with each method-specific threshold and Akaike information criteria were used to retain the optimal threshold after adjustment. RESULTS:52229 patients were included; 4.0% were hospitalized for ACS/stroke, 3.4% died, and 1.3% died from CV-related cause. In predicting ACS/stroke, CV-related and all-cause mortality, the optimal adherence threshold was 0.52 (range: 0.51-0.54), 0.79 (0.45-0.87), and 0.84 (0.79-0.89), respectively. These results were consistent among patients aged ? 65 years (n = 19804). However, the results varied among those aged < 65 years, where the incidence rates of outcomes were low. CONCLUSION:In new-users of LLDs with hypertension, approximately 50% days covered by LLDs may be enough to prevent long-term occurrence of ACS, or stroke. However, a threshold near 0.80 may be needed to prevent or reduce the risk of all-cause or CV-related mortality.

SUBMITTER: Zongo A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6760888 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Optimal threshold of adherence to lipid lowering drugs in predicting acute coronary syndrome, stroke, or mortality: A cohort study.

Zongo Arsène A Simpson Scot S Johnson Jeffrey A JA Eurich Dean T DT

PloS one 20190925 9

<h4>Objective</h4>Thresholds defining medication adherence are rarely evidence-based. A threshold of 0.8 is typically presumed to achieve improved outcomes. We aimed to assess the optimal threshold of adherence to lipid-lowering drugs (LLD) in predicting cardiovascular-related (CV) outcomes in patients with hypertension.<h4>Design</h4>Cohort study of new users of LLDs.<h4>Setting</h4>Comprehensive healthcare administrative databases of the province of Alberta (Canada) from 2008 to 2016.<h4>Parti ...[more]

PMID: 31553787

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Project description:BackgroundLipid-lowering drugs are widely underused, despite strong evidence indicating they improve cardiovascular end points. Poor patient adherence to a medication regimen can affect the success of lipid-lowering treatment.ObjectivesTo assess the effects of interventions aimed at improving adherence to lipid-lowering drugs, focusing on measures of adherence and clinical outcomes.Search methodsWe searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO and CINAHL up to 3 February 2016, and clinical trials registers (ANZCTR and ClinicalTrials.gov) up to 27 July 2016. We applied no language restrictions.Selection criteriaWe evaluated randomised controlled trials of adherence-enhancing interventions for lipid-lowering medication in adults in an ambulatory setting with a variety of measurable outcomes, such as adherence to treatment and changes to serum lipid levels. Two teams of review authors independently selected the studies.Data collection and analysisThree review authors extracted and assessed data, following criteria outlined by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. We assessed the quality of the evidence using GRADEPro.Main resultsFor this updated review, we added 24 new studies meeting the eligibility criteria to the 11 studies from prior updates. We have therefore included 35 studies, randomising 925,171 participants. Seven studies including 11,204 individuals compared adherence rates of those in an intensification of a patient care intervention (e.g. electronic reminders, pharmacist-led interventions, healthcare professional education of patients) versus usual care over the short term (six months or less), and were pooled in a meta-analysis. Participants in the intervention group had better adherence than those receiving usual care (odds ratio (OR) 1.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.29 to 2.88; 7 studies; 11,204 participants; moderate-quality evidence). A separate analysis also showed improvements in long-term adherence rates (more than six months) using intensification of care (OR 2.87, 95% CI 1.91 to 4.29; 3 studies; 663 participants; high-quality evidence). Analyses of the effect on total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels also showed a positive effect of intensified interventions over both short- and long-term follow-up. Over the short term, total cholesterol decreased by a mean of 17.15 mg/dL (95% CI 1.17 to 33.14; 4 studies; 430 participants; low-quality evidence) and LDL-cholesterol decreased by a mean of 19.51 mg/dL (95% CI 8.51 to 30.51; 3 studies; 333 participants; moderate-quality evidence). Over the long term (more than six months) total cholesterol decreased by a mean of 17.57 mg/dL (95% CI 14.95 to 20.19; 2 studies; 127 participants; high-quality evidence). Included studies did not report usable data for health outcome indications, adverse effects or costs/resource use, so we could not pool these outcomes. We assessed each included study for bias using methods described in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. In general, the risk of bias assessment revealed a low risk of selection bias, attrition bias, and reporting bias. There was unclear risk of bias relating to blinding for most studies.Authors' conclusionsThe evidence in our review demonstrates that intensification of patient care interventions improves short- and long-term medication adherence, as well as total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels. Healthcare systems which can implement team-based intensification of patient care interventions may be successful in improving patient adherence rates to lipid-lowering medicines.

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Optimal threshold of adherence to lipid lowering drugs in predicting acute coronary syndrome, stroke, or mortality: A cohort study.

Publications

Optimal threshold of adherence to lipid lowering drugs in predicting acute coronary syndrome, stroke, or mortality: A cohort study.

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