Comparison of adherence rates for antiretroviral, blood pressure, or mental health medications for HIV-positive patients at an academic medical center outpatient pharmacy.

CONCLUSIONS: Based on average PDC, PLWH filling prescriptions at the University of Colorado Hospital Infectious Disease Group Practice pharmacy had an adherence of 84.5% to ART. However, only 40% of patients were adherent at the needed 95% level for therapeutic effects. Additionally, PLWH were more adherent to single-tablet once-daily regimens than to multitablet once-daily regimens or multitablet twice-daily regimens. Adherence in PLWH to HIV ART was better than the same patients' adherence to scheduled blood pressure and scheduled mental health medications. Levels of adherence still need to be improved to optimal to reduce rates of resistance and maximize therapeutic durability of selected regimens. When analyzed with the comparator group, adherence in PLWH to scheduled blood pressure medications was similar, but adherence to scheduled mental health medications was slightly worse. Further work is needed to address nonadherence among PLWH, including their adherence both to ART and to medications prescribed for other chronic diseases. PMID: 25062074 [PubMed - in process]
Source: Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: J Manag Care Pharm Source Type: research