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Study: Patients stop taking medications soon after they’re prescribed

Case Management Weekly, October 12, 2006

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Nearly one in eight heart patients stop taking some or all of their medications, according to a new study by Dr. P. Michael Ho and colleagues at the Denver Medical Center, in Denver, CO. These patients dramatically increased their chance of rehospitalization or injury, according to an article on CNN.com.

Patients who stop taking their medications tended to be older, single, and less educated, according to the study. The study did not extrapolate why patients stop taking their medications.

Other studies show that cost and a lack of communication may lead to patients stopping prescriptions. Healthcare providers should ensure they convey the importance of medications to the patient, and the patient should be ready to ask questions about their prescriptions.

Source: Adapted from Patient Safety Monitor, HCPro, Inc.

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