Improving Adherence to Pharmacological Treatment

Improving Adherence to Pharmacological Treatment

The overall goal of this study was to implement and evaluate the effects of a systems-based and pharmacist-mediated program designed to improve adherence for patients with known coronary heart disease (CHD) to lipid-lowering pharmacologic therapy and of their physicians/nurse practitioners to the National Cholesterol Education Program Guidelines.

Patients were randomly assigned to a usual care condition which consisted of patients provided with usual care only, or to the Special Intervention (SI) condition. The intervention was implemented and coordinated by pharmacists, who utilized for tracking and communication the Lotus Notes®-based system that was developed for the project.

Inclusion Criteria:

• was between 30 and 85 years of age;
• had known CHD, defined as the presence of at least one coronary lesion at coronary angiography of >50%.

Exclusion Criteria:

• was unable or unwilling to give informed consent;
• had a history of intolerance to two or more statin drugs;
• planned to move out of the area within one year of recruitment;
• had a poor prognosis such that life expectancy was thought to be <5 years;
• had a psychiatric illness which limited ability to participate; or
• had no telephone.