Patients on long-term therapy need support
About a third of patients starting a new treatment for a chronic condition do not take it as directed and some decide not to take it at all. This is the finding of a study in which the authors suggest that such patients need a support service tailored to their individual needs.
The authors collected data from 258 patients who were starting a new
medicine for a chronic condition and who were aged 75 years or older
or had coronary heart disease, stroke, asthma, diabetes or rheumatoid
arthritis.
Of the 226 patients still taking their medicine after 10 days, 30 per
cent were classed as being non-adherent (ie, missed any doses in the
past seven days). In this group, 137 patients (61 per cent) said they
needed further information about their medicine or condition. Of the
171 patients still taking the medicine at four weeks, 25 per cent were
non-adherent, and 51 per cent wanted further information. Problems reported
by the patients included difficulties with the practical aspects of taking
the medicine, for example finding it hard to break tablets in half for
the required dose, concerns about the medicine, such as not believing
in taking pills, or problems with side effects.
The authors say that there is a role for a new service to support and
advise patients in their early days of medicine-taking. They say: “The
NHS has ambitious new plans for pharmacists that include management of
repeat prescribing and wider prescribing powers. It may be that, in collaboration
with prescribers, new pharmacy services can be developed to meet this
substantial need.” The study is published in Quality and Safety
in Health Care (2004;13:172). |
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