Medication non-adherence in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) can significantly impact patient outcomes, yet its prevalence and consequences remain understudied. This multi-center registry analysis examined self-reported non-adherence rates among pulmonary arterial hypertension and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) patients, identifying key socioeconomic predictors and associated healthcare outcomes. Using data from the Pulmonary Hypertension Association Registry (PHAR), researchers analyzed patterns of non-adherence and their relationship with hospitalization rates, emergency department visits, and quality of life measures.
A total of 1.543 patients were included, of whom 1.092 (70.8%) were female and 1.340 (86.8%) had pulmonary arterial hypertension.
While the study found relatively low rates of self-reported non-adherence among PHAR participants, key risk factors emerged, including male gender and various social determinants of health: poverty status, lack of partnership/marital support, limited insurance coverage (Medicaid or uninsured), educational level high school without college degree)
Non-adherence was associated with:
- 50% more ED visits
- 13.3% more hospitalizations
- 61.9% more hospital days
- Worse quality of life scores
- No impact on mortality
The study design’s limitations regarding temporal relationships suggest the need for further prospective research to confirm these findings.
Citation
Robbins EW, Bradley K, Badesch DB, Burger C, Chybowski AM, De Marco T, Hemnes AR, Lammi M, Mathai SC, Melendres-Groves L, Raza F, Sager J, Shlobin OA, Thenappan T, Zamanian R, Runo J, Baird GL, Ventetuolo CE. Medication Non-Adherence in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: The Pulmonary Hypertension Association Registry (PHAR). Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2025 Feb 18. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.202312-1083OC. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39965160.
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