Adherence to lipid-lowering drug therapy among members of the Canadian Forces.
OBJECTIVE
This study was performed to quantify adherence rates to lipid-lowering drug therapy among members of the Canadian Forces (CF) and to identify factors associated with nonadherence.


METHODS
Pharmacy claims were reviewed for all CF members who received a lipid-lowering drug between April 1 and June 1, 2003. Subjects were categorized as adherent if records indicated consumption of at least 80% of prescribed doses. Logistic regression was performed to assess the impact of patient and drug characteristics upon adherence.


RESULTS
Overall adherence rate at 1 year was 38.5% among all users of lipid-lowering medications. Adherence did not vary among the different classes of lipid-lowering drugs. Duration of service was the only independent predictor of adherence.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite a relative lack of treatment barriers and the presence of established treatment programs in the CF health care system, long-term adherence with lipid-lowering medications remains suboptimal in this population.
Ma
Janice
J
Directorate of Medical Policy, Pharmacy Policies and Standards, National Defence Medical Centre Building, 2nd Floor, 1745 Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0K6, Canada.
Vaillancourt
Régis
R
Bennett
Carol
C
D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada; D019992:Databases as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008887:Military Medicine; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009864:Ontario; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents