WE KNOW THAT TAKING THE RIGHT medications the right way at the right time and for the prescribed number of days is essential for optimal outcomes. So why
do so many patients seem to have trouble taking their meds as prescribed?
The answers, of course, are complex, ranging from simple misunderstanding to economic distress. But a new study published
in the Journal of Cardiac Failure gives some insight into why patients fail to take medications as prescribed.
The authors of the study examined heart failure patients, who typically have medication adherence rates of 7% to 90%. By using
implanted microelectronic event monitoring devices in the caps of medication bottles, researchers were able to assess the
number of doses taken, the number of days the correct dose was taken, and how many doses were taken on schedule.
Researchers found that financial status and perceived social support were strongly associated with medication adherence. Nurses
should assess both financial status and social support when discussing prescribed medication regimens, and should help patients
and families find ways to fit medication therapy into their lifestyles. —Jennifer L.W. Fink, RN, BSN
Wu, J.R., Moser, D.K., et al. (2008). Predictors of medication adherence using a multidimensional adherence model in patients
with heart failure. Journal of Cardiac Failure, 14(7), 603-614.
Staff Editor: MARTHA K. RAYMOND, RN, BSN, BS
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