An article titled “Medication adherence, related factors and outcomes among patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension or chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: a systematic review”, was recently published in the European Respiratory Review. It investigates medication adherence (MA) in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). The authors note that while it is widely recognized that strong medication adherence improves outcomes in chronic conditions, its specific impact on these two conditions has been inconsistently studied. The review’s aim was to evaluate adherence levels in these patients, explore the factors influencing poor adherence, and assess the outcomes associated with different adherence rates.
The study searched multiple databases and included 20 studies involving 22,675 patients over the period 1998-2023. Combination therapy, co-morbidities, concomitant treatments, younger age, a longer delay since diagnosis and co-payment, appeared to negatively affect medication adherence but the authors warn that this has yet to be confirmed since conflicting results between studies resulted in an unclear assessment of their impact.
The authors note that only three studies explored the link between quality-of-life measurements and medical adherence, despite established knowledge that they could positively impact each other. They suggest that in future studies, it could be beneficial to take Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) into account to better capture all factors that could explain poor levels of adherence, as was done in heart failure. And to support targeted educational interventions. We would add that a collaborative and trusting relationship between the patient and doctor is crucial for ensuring better adherence, creating personalized care plans, and ultimately achieving better health outcomes.
The findings of the study reveal that higher levels of adherence were associated with improved clinical outcomes, including reduced hospitalizations, shorter inpatient stays, fewer outpatient visits, and lower healthcare costs.
Read more at this link on the European Respiratory Review web page
Citation
Medication adherence, related factors and outcomes among patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension or chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: a systematic review, Antoine Le Bozec, Virginie Korb, Savoldelli, Claire Boiteau, Agnès Dechartres, Salma Al Kahf, Olivier Sitbon, David Montani, Xavier Jaïs, Christophe Guignabert, Marc Humbert, Laurent Savale, Marie-Camille Chaumais. European Respiratory Review 2024 33: 240006; DOI: 10.1183/16000617.0006-2024
