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Title: Patient Compliance with Antihypertensive Therapy Appears Longer for Those Taking Angiotensin II Antagonists

URL: http://www.pulsus.com/CARDIOL/18_06/marr_ed.htm

Can J Cardiology, v.18, 6:649-656. "Antihypertensive therapy persistence and drug class"
07/18/2002 11:53:57 AM
By Andrew A. Skolnick

The consistently higher persistence associated with the use of angiotensin II antagonists may help improve the management of blood pressure in patients with hypertension. One of the most challenging problems in the care of patients with high blood pressure is patient noncompliance with antihypertensive therapy. A large, retrospective study led by M. A. Marentette took a look at how well patient-compliance with antihypertensive therapy persists in routine clinical settings in Saskatchewan, Canada. The study retrospectively reviewed persistence of medication compliance among more than 46,000 patients managed by Saskatchewan Health from 1994 through 1998, who received at least one prescription for antihypertensive medication, but none in the 12 months prior to that prescription. The prescriptions were classified as either angiotensin II antagonists, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, or diuretics. Persistence of patient compliance with antihypertensive therapy was divided into four intervals, 180, 360, 540, and 720 days. The researchers found that the class of drug had a statistically significant effect on the patients' persistence of compliance. Angiotensin II antagonists had the highest rate of persistence followed by ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, beta-blockers, and diuretics. Persistence in taking antihypertensive medication decreased as the time interval increased. Female patients were more likely to continue therapy, and elderly patients were significantly more persistent than younger patients at each of the four time intervals. However, the researchers found that the patient's age and gender did not influence persistence among those taking angiotensin II antagonists.

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