Want to improve adherence? Keep it simple!
Published: April 20, 2023
Daily medication use remains a mainstay of treatment in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The challenge is that those with these chronic lung conditions must remember to take medications every day, even on days that they may not be experiencing symptoms. As with any chronic disease, adherence to medication regimens is often poor, and consequences of low adherence are significant, including worsened disease control, higher risk for exacerbations (attacks), poorer quality of life, and higher healthcare costs. Therefore, finding ways to make it easier for patients to take their medicines is of vital importance, both for healthcare providers and the patients they serve.
In a study published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, Heather De Keyser and colleagues evaluated the adherence of patients to once-daily versus twice-daily medication regimens for both asthma and COPD, across children and adults. Data were evaluated over a 90-day period for patients aged 4 years and older and were stratified by disease (COPD or asthma) and age. Patients self-reported their prescribed dosing schedule, and adherence was assessed using actuations recorded by inhaler medication sensors (Propeller Health).
The study evaluated 6294 patients with asthma and 1791 patients with COPD and found that patients prescribed once-daily medication regimens were significantly more adherent than those prescribed twice-daily regimens. Moreover, once-daily users were more likely to achieve an “optimal” adherence threshold (> 80% medication adherence) than twice-daily users. Adherence also differed by age, with adherence decreasing with age in childhood, nadiring in early adulthood, and then increasing with age in later adulthood. Therefore, it was concluded that patients with asthma and COPD who were prescribed once-daily regimens were more likely to be adherent. Additionally, the teen and young adult populations may be particularly important groups in which to assess for and treat lower adherence. Clinicians who are looking to improve their patients’ adherence rates may consider using shared decision-making strategies to simplify medication regimens.
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice is an official journal of the AAAAI, focusing on practical information for the practicing clinician.
Full Article