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Linkage between electronic prescribing data and pharmacy claims records to determine primary adherence: the case of antihypertensive therapy in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Region, Portugal

Linkage between electronic prescribing data and pharmacy claims records to determine primary... BackgroundHypertension (HT) is highly prevalent and a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Over 42% of Portuguese adults have HT. Even though the benefits of antihypertensive (AHT) drugs have been demonstrated, HT control remains inadequate. One major reason is that patients often fail to take their medications as prescribed. This paper aims to determine primary adherence to AHT therapy in newly diagnosed and treated hypertensive patients in Primary Health Care (PHC) units of Lisbon and Tagus Valley Health Region.MethodsThis study reports data from a population-based, retrospective, cohort study from patients diagnosed with HT in PHC units of Lisbon and Tagus Valley Region from 1 January to 31 March 2011, with no prior use of AHT drugs. Primary adherence rate was expressed as number of claims records/total number of prescriptions records. Data were collected from SIARS for each patient during a 2-year period.ResultsOverall primary adherence rate was 58.5%, increasing with age. Rates were higher for men, living in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area and diagnosed with uncomplicated HT. Drugs acting on the renin–angiotensin system had the highest rates, increasing for fixed-dose combinations and diminishing with the increase of cost for the patient.ConclusionsOverall, almost 1 out of 2 prescribed AHT drugs were not dispensed. Until this study, little was known in Portugal about primary adherence. Our findings imply that the potential benefits of AHT therapy cannot be fully realized in this population. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Family Practice Oxford University Press

Linkage between electronic prescribing data and pharmacy claims records to determine primary adherence: the case of antihypertensive therapy in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Region, Portugal

Coelho, André
Family Practice , Volume 40 (2): 7 – Sep 30, 2022
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References (42)

Publisher
Oxford University Press
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
ISSN
0263-2136
eISSN
1460-2229
DOI
10.1093/fampra/cmac109
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

BackgroundHypertension (HT) is highly prevalent and a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Over 42% of Portuguese adults have HT. Even though the benefits of antihypertensive (AHT) drugs have been demonstrated, HT control remains inadequate. One major reason is that patients often fail to take their medications as prescribed. This paper aims to determine primary adherence to AHT therapy in newly diagnosed and treated hypertensive patients in Primary Health Care (PHC) units of Lisbon and Tagus Valley Health Region.MethodsThis study reports data from a population-based, retrospective, cohort study from patients diagnosed with HT in PHC units of Lisbon and Tagus Valley Region from 1 January to 31 March 2011, with no prior use of AHT drugs. Primary adherence rate was expressed as number of claims records/total number of prescriptions records. Data were collected from SIARS for each patient during a 2-year period.ResultsOverall primary adherence rate was 58.5%, increasing with age. Rates were higher for men, living in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area and diagnosed with uncomplicated HT. Drugs acting on the renin–angiotensin system had the highest rates, increasing for fixed-dose combinations and diminishing with the increase of cost for the patient.ConclusionsOverall, almost 1 out of 2 prescribed AHT drugs were not dispensed. Until this study, little was known in Portugal about primary adherence. Our findings imply that the potential benefits of AHT therapy cannot be fully realized in this population.

Journal

Family Practice – Oxford University Press

Published: Sep 30, 2022

Keywords: antihypertensive therapy; medication adherence; primary adherence

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