CardioSource WorldNews July 2015 | Page 16

THE BE T
Patient Focus
CARDIOSMART CORNER

Medication Matters
Medications when taken as prescribed
can be life-saving for many patients. For
patients with cardiovascular risk factors
like hypertension and high cholesterol,
medication can be extremely effective
in helping to delay or even prevent the
development of heart disease. For patients already living with heart disease,

medication can help slow disease progression and prevent serious complications. However, when patients fail to take
medications correctly, the drugs are not
as effective as they could be, or worse,
can actually cause harm. For tips and
tools to help patients take medications as
prescribed, visit the CardioSmart online

MEDICATION ADHERENCE

Medication
Adherence and
Your Patients

Let’s talk about

MEDICATION
ADHERENCE

Skipping, modifying
or ignoring your
medication can be
bad for your health.

...in PROPER
DOSES

...the
RIGHT WAY

2X Daily
AM/PM

...at the
RIGHT TIME
CardioSmart MED REMINDER APP

PROPERLY

Prescription
Refill Alerts

can be

CHALLENGING

Secure Personal
Medication Record

Medication
Reminders

CardioSmart can help!
If you would like to download or order additional posters
on various topics, visit CardioSmart.org/Posters

14

CardioSource WorldNews

©2015, American College of Cardiology Z1539

MEDICATION
ADHERENCE
MEANS:
Make
Sure You TAKE
YOUR MEDICATION

Taking medication

“Drugs & Treatments” section or encourage patients to download the CardioSmart
Med Reminder app to get alerts to their
mobile devices.

Did you know that 20-30%
of prescriptions are never
filled? Of those prescriptions filled, nearly 50% of
patients do not continue
taking their medication
as prescribed, with rates
of adherence dropping
after 6 months. When it
comes to cardiovascular disease, only 51% of Americans treated for hypertension are adherent to their
long-term therapy, while between 25% and 50% of
patients discontinue statin treatment within 1 year.
Helping patients understand the importance of taking
their medications as directed is critical to preventing
and treating cardiovascular disease. When prescribing medications, providers should make sure they are
providing patients and/or their caregivers with the
following information:
1. What is the medication called and what does it
do?
2. How, when and for how long should the medication be taken?
3. What happens if a dose is missed?
4. Are there any side effects?
5. Is it safe to take the medication with other prescriptions or vitamins?
6. Can they stop taking the medication if they feel
better? ■

July 2015