Factors Influencing Non-Persistence with Antiplatelet Medications in Elderly Patients After Ischaemic Stroke

Antiplatelet Treatment Patterns and Outcomes for Secondary Stroke Prevention in the United Kingdom

INTRODUCTION

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Antiplatelet therapies are recommended to reduce the risk of recurrent stroke in patients with ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack (IS/TIA). This study evaluated outpatient antiplatelet treatment patterns and outcomes for secondary stroke prevention (SSP) among UK adults without atrial fibrillation who were hospitalized for IS/TIA.

METHODS

This retrospective observational study utilized data from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink linked with Hospital Episode Statistics data (01/01/2011-30/06/2019). Treatment patterns included type and duration of treatments. Treatment outcomes included IS, myocardial infarction, major bleeding, and cardiovascular-related and all-cause mortality. Descriptive statistics were reported.

RESULTS

Of 9270 patients, 13.9% (1292) might not receive antithrombotic therapy within 90 days of hospital discharge. Of 7978 patients who received antiplatelet therapies, most used clopidogrel (74.8%) or aspirin (16.7%) single antiplatelet therapy and clopidogrel + aspirin dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT, 5.9%). At 1-year post-hospitalization, 36.9, 43.3, and 35.1% of those receiving these treatments discontinued them, respectively, and of the patients initiating DAPT, 62.3% switched to single antiplatelet therapy. At 1-year post-discharge, the incidence rate (per 100 person-years) of IS, myocardial infarction, major bleeding, cardiovascular-related mortality, and all-cause mortality among the treated were 6.5, 0.7, 4.1, 5.0, and 7.3, respectively, and among the untreated were 14.9, 0.7, 8.6, 28.1, and 39.8, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In the United Kingdom, 13.9% of patients hospitalized for stroke might not have any antiplatelet treatment to prevent secondary stroke; among the treated, clopidogrel, aspirin, and DAPT were commonly used. These study findings suggest that improved anti-thrombotic therapies for long-term SSP treatment are needed, which may lead to higher treatment and persistence rates and, therefore, improved outcomes in this population.

Gender-Related Factors in Medication Adherence for Metabolic and Cardiovascular Health

This review explores the impact of gender on medication adherence in the context of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Optimal adherence to medication is crucial for achieving treatment goals and preventing adverse outcomes in chronic diseases. The review examines specific conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, arterial hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and heart failure. In type 2 diabetes, female sex, younger age, new drug prescription, non-white ethnicity, low education level, and low income were identified as predictors of non-adherence. Depressive disorders were also found to influence adherence. In hypercholesterolemia, women exhibited poorer adherence to statin therapy compared to men, with statin-related side effects and patient perception being significant factors. Adherence to anti-hypertensive therapy showed conflicting results, with studies reporting both higher and lower adherence in women. Limited evidence suggests that women may have poorer adherence after acute myocardial infarction and stroke. Regarding heart failure, adherence studies have shown inconsistent findings. The reasons for gender differences in medication adherence are multifactorial and include sociodemographic, disease-related, treatment-related, and psychological factors. This review emphasizes the need for further research to better understand these differences and develop gender-customized interventions that can improve medication adherence and reduce the burden of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.

Utilizing Social Determinants of Health Model to Understand Barriers to Medication Adherence in Patients with Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review

Introduction

Ischemic strokes and their recurrence create an immense disease burden globally. Therefore, preventing recurrent strokes by promoting medication adherence is crucial to reduce morbidity and mortality. In addition, understanding the barriers to medication adherence related to the social determinants of health (SDoH) could promote equity among persons with ischemic stroke.

Objective

To explore the barriers to medication adherence among patients with ischemic stroke through the SDoH.

Methods

This systematic review included studies published between January 2018 and December 2022 identified through PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and CINAHL Plus Full Text. The descriptions of the studies were systematically summarized and discussed based on the SDoH from the US Healthy People 2030 initiative.

Results

Eight studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. The most common barrier to adherence was inappropriate medication beliefs, medication side effects, and patient-physician relationship, which relate to the dimensions of healthcare access and quality. Health literacy and health perception, dependent on education access and quality, frequently influenced adherence. Other social determinants, such as financial strain and social and community context, were found to alter adherence behaviors. No study addressed the neighborhood and built environment domain. We found that cognitive impairment is another factor that impacts adherence outcomes among stroke patients.

Conclusion

Multifaceted approaches are needed to address the SDoH to improve medication adherence among patients with ischemic stroke. This review emphasized strategies, including patient education, provider-patient communication, social support, health literacy, technology, and policy advocacy to enhance adherence.

Patterns of Use and Discontinuation of Secondary Prevention Medications After Stroke

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether certain patient, acute care, or primary care factors are associated with medication initiation and discontinuation in the community after stroke or TIA.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study using prospective data on adult patients with first-ever acute stroke/TIA from the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (April 2010 to June 2014), linked with nationwide medication dispensing and Medicare claims data. Medication users were those with ≥1 dispensing in the year postdischarge. Discontinuation was assessed among medication users and defined as having no medication supply for ≥90 days in the year postdischarge. Multivariable competing risks regression, accounting for death during the observation period, was conducted to investigate factors associated with time to medication discontinuation.

RESULTS

Among 17,980 registry patients with stroke/TIA, 91.4% were linked to administrative datasets. Of these, 9,817 adults with first-ever stroke/TIA were included (45.4% female, 47.6% aged ≥75 years, and 11.4% intracerebral hemorrhage). While most patients received secondary prevention medications (79.3% antihypertensive, 81.8% antithrombotic, and 82.7% lipid-lowering medication), between one-fifth and one-third discontinued treatment over the subsequent year postdischarge (20.9% antihypertensive, 34.1% antithrombotic, and 28.5% lipid-lowering medications). Prescription at hospital discharge (sub-hazard ratio [SHR] 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.62-0.79), quarterly contact with a primary care physician (SHR 0.62; 95% CI 0.57-0.67), and prescription by a specialist physician (SHR 0.87; 95% CI 0.77-0.98) were all inversely associated with antihypertensive discontinuation.

CONCLUSIONS

Patterns of use of secondary prevention medications after stroke/TIA are not optimal, with many survivors discontinuing treatment within 1 year postdischarge. Improving postdischarge care for patients with stroke/TIA is needed to minimize unwarranted discontinuation.

Factors associated with medication persistence among ischemic stroke patients: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

An investigation of the prevalence of medication persistence and associated factors in order to inform effective strategies for improving medication persistence.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature from 2010 to the present was performed, using the PRISMA protocol. Primary and empirical observational studies of adult ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack patients were included. PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and PsycInfo databases were searched using the key terms stroke, ischemic stroke, medication persistence, medication adherence, and patient compliance.

RESULTS

Of four hundred twenty-eight journal articles retrieved, a final 18 articles were included. Short-term medication persistence was 46.2-96.7%, and long-term medication persistence was 41.7-93.0%. Identified hospital-related factors for medication persistence were stroke unit care, in-hospital medical complications, and early follow-up visit. Demographic factors for medication persistence were older age, and high/adequate financial status; disease-related factors were disease history, stroke subtype, and symptom severity. Age less than 75, female sex, comorbidity, antiplatelet medication switch, and polypharmacy were identified as factors of medication nonpersistence.

CONCLUSIONS

Stroke patients' medication persistence decreases over time, and persistence on antiplatelets, anticoagulants, and statin was poor. Several factors were associated with medication persistence, and these factors should be considered in future secondary preventative strategies.

Does cognitive impairment impact adherence? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between cognitive impairment and medication non-adherence in stroke

BACKGROUND

While medication adherence is essential for the secondary prevention of stroke, it is often sub-optimal, and can be compromised by cognitive impairment. This study aimed to systematically review and meta-analyse the association between cognitive impairment and medication non-adherence in stroke.

METHODS

A systematic literature search of longitudinal and cross-sectional studies of adults with any stroke type, which reported on the association between any measure of non-adherence and cognitive impairment, was carried out according to PRISMA guidelines. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were the primary measure of effect. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Bias Methods Group's Tool to Assess Risk of Bias in Cohort Studies, with evidence quality assessed according to the GRADE approach. We conducted sensitivity analyses according to measure of cognitive impairment, measure of medication adherence, population, risk of bias and adjustment for covariates. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO.

RESULTS

From 1,760 titles and abstracts, we identified 9 studies for inclusion. Measures of cognitive impairment varied from dementia diagnosis to standardised cognitive assessments. Medication adherence was assessed through self-report or administrative databases. The majority of studies were of medium risk of bias (n = 6); two studies had low risk of bias. Findings were mixed; when all studies were pooled, there was no evidence of an association between cognitive impairment and medication non-adherence post-stroke [OR (95% CI): 0.85 (0.66, 1.03)]. However, heterogeneity was substantial [I2 = 90.9%, p < .001], and the overall evidence quality was low.

CONCLUSIONS

Few studies have explored associations between cognitive impairment and medication adherence post-stroke, with substantial heterogeneity in study populations, and definitions and assessments of non-adherence and cognitive impairment. Further research using clear, standardised and objective assessments is needed to clarify the association between cognitive impairment and medication non-adherence in stroke.

Non-persistence with antiplatelet therapy in elderly patients after a transient ischemic attack

BACKGROUND

Antiplatelet therapy following a transient ischemic attack (TIA) constitutes an important secondary prevention measure.

AIMS

The study was aimed at evaluating the development of non-persistence with antiplatelet therapy in elderly patients after a TIA and identifying patient-related characteristics associated with the probability of non-persistence during the follow-up period.

METHODS

The study cohort (n = 854) was selected from the database of the largest health insurance provider of the Slovak Republic. It included patients aged ≥65 years, in whom antiplatelet medication was initiated following a TIA diagnosis during the period between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2010. Each patient was followed for a period of 3 years from the date of the first antiplatelet medication prescription associated with TIA diagnosis. Patients in whom there was a treatment gap of at least 6 months without antiplatelet medication prescription were defined as "non-persistent". The factors predicting non-persistence were identified in the Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

At the end of the follow-up period, 345 (40.4%) patients were non-persistent with antiplatelet medication. Protective factors decreasing a patient´s likelihood of becoming non-persistent were age ≥75 years [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.75], polypharmacy (concurrent use of ≥6 drugs) (HR = 0.79), arterial hypertension (HR = 0.68), diabetes mellitus (HR = 0.74), hypercholesterolemia (HR = 0.75), and antiplatelet medication switching during the follow-up period (HR = 0.73).

CONCLUSIONS

It is concluded that following a TIA, elderly patients aged <75 years or those with normal serum cholesterol levels, without certain comorbid conditions and polypharmacy may benefit from special counselling to encourage persistence with secondary preventive medication.

Persistence with antihypertensives in uncomplicated treatment-naïve very elderly patients: a nationwide population-based study

BACKGROUND

Limited studies have evaluated the medication-taking behavior in very elderly hypertensive patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the persistence and adherence with antihypertensive agents in treatment-naïve patients, along with other related factors, according to age.

METHODS

Adult (19-64 years), elderly (65-79 years), and very elderly (≥80 years) uncomplicated hypertensive patients starting antihypertensive monotherapy were identified from the National Health Insurance claims database. The first-year treatment persistence and adherence rates measured using the medication possession ratio were assessed and compared in these three age cohorts.

RESULTS

After propensity score matching, three age cohorts with 6689 patients each were assembled from 228,925 uncomplicated hypertensive patients who began antihypertensive monotherapy in 2012. The treatment persistence and adherence rates over the first year were the lowest in the very elderly (59.5% and 62.8%, respectively) and highest in the elderly (65.2% and 67.9%, respectively) patients among the three age cohorts (p < 0.001). The adjusted risk for treatment non-persistence was significantly higher in the very elderly (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.13-1.27) compared with the elderly. Having more comorbidities, being a beneficiary of medical aid, and having a diagnosis of dementia were unique positive predictors for treatment persistence in the very elderly, along with common predictors such as female sex, dyslipidemia, and an initially chosen antihypertensive therapeutic class other than beta blockers and thiazide diuretics.

CONCLUSIONS

Very elderly patients were less likely to continue antihypertensive therapy over the first year compared with their younger counterparts. Our findings suggest that a low comorbidity index and lack of medical aid support negatively affect the treatment persistence in this population.