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Cost shown to be a Significant Reason why Heart Patients are not Taking Enough Medicine

The Journal of the American Heart Association just published findings about the prevalent use of important heart medications being used by patients who have experienced a recent heart attack. Researchers of the study stated that as many as 50% of the patients that were reviewed had significantly reduced the recommended dosages of heart medications following a heart attack. When the patients were asked why they had reduced their dosages, the majority of them stated that cost was the most significant factor.

The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association recommends that heart attack patients receive specific treatments to increase the chances of survival following a heart attack, including: beta blockers, a statin cholesterol lowering drug and an angiotensin receptor blocker. This study evaluated the cost of these drug recommendations and also evaluated the coverage options provided y Medicare, for those patients who are over the age of 65.

This recommended drug combination is expensive, causing nearly 50% of the patients studied to take only one of the recommended drugs. “Patients who adhere to these prescription medications are less likely to have adverse event, such as recurrent heart attacks,” said Choudry, the study’s lead author.

Choudry’s team suggests that the availability and cost reduction of the recommended drugs that follow a heart attack can drastically reduce the risks of additional heart attacks or heart problems.

Source: American Heart Association

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