Purpose of study Even with the introduction of once daily antiretroviral (ARV) regimens of low pill burden, long-term adherence remains a challenge, particularly in subgroups, such as patients with drug addiction. We aimed to determine levels of adherence and identify factors associated with suboptimal adherence in treated, HIV-infected patients attending a busy European inner-city HIV outpatie...

Strict adherence to anti-retroviral therapy (ART) is critical for sustained suppression of viral replication and prevention of opportunistic infections that often lead to disability or death. With increased availability of ART in recent years, achievement of optimal adherence has become very important in the management of HIV/AIDS in Eritrea. To assess the factors affecting adherence to ART of ...

PURPOSE To report the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation in Scotland and advocate the standardisation of drug utilisation research methods. METHODS Retrospective cohort study using linked administrative data. Patients included those with a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (confirmed in hospital) who received a first prescriptio...

BACKGROUND Treatment adherence is a primary determinant of the success and effectiveness of healthcare. Lack of adherence can lead to treatment failure and death. Although studies have shown that pharmaceutical intervention can improve drug treatment for patients with chronic diseases, studies on pharmaceutical care are not only inconsistent, they are scarce and limited to developed countries, ...

BACKGROUND Several clinical trials have demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of oral tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), with or without emtricitabine (FTC), as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for reducing the risk of HIV acquisition. Adherence to the study product was insufficient to demonstrate the effectiveness of FTC/TDF in 2 PrEP clinical trials conducted among women (FEM-PrEP and th...

It is estimated that by 2015 more than half of all HIV-infected individuals in the United States will be 50 years of age or older. As this population ages, the frequency of non-AIDS related comorbidities increases, which includes cardiovascular, metabolic, gastrointestinal, genitourinary and psychiatric disorders. As a result, medical management of the aging HIV population can be complicated by...

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of medication adherence on healthcare utilization and cost for 4 chronic conditions that are major drivers of drug spending: diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and congestive heart failure. RESEARCH DESIGN The authors conducted a retrospective cohort observation of patients who were continuously enrolled in medical an...

BACKGROUND Poor adherence is estimated to cause 125 thousand deaths per year and is linked to 10% of all hospital stays in the U.S. Up to one third of elderly hypertensive patients don't have adherence, which is responsible for high proportion of hospitalizations. Hypertension is also related to poor performance in tests that assess cognitive functions. On the other hand, poor cognitive perform...

OBJECTIVES To evaluate which indirect method for assessing adherence best reflects highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) effectiveness and the factors related to adherence. METHOD This descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed in 2012 at a reference center of the state of São Paulo. Self-report (simplified medication adherence questionnaire [SMAQ]) and drug refill parameters wer...

STUDY OBJECTIVES To assess whether pharmacist-provided medication education and counseling to Meals on Wheels (MOW) participants decreases medication-related preventable harm and improves adherence. DESIGN Prospective, quasi-experiment. SETTING Ambulatory congregrate dining centers. PATIENTS Persons 60 years of age and older participating in MOW receiving prescription, nonprescription, or...