title: Transdermal is better than oral: observational research of the satisfaction of caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease treated with rivastigmine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Poor adherence to anti-dementia drugs is common among patients with Alzheimer's disease. This study evaluated whether caregivers were more satisfied with, and patients more adherent to, transdermal rivastigmine than oral rivastigmine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Neurologists, psychiatrists and geriatricians collected sociodemographic and clinical data from 1,078 patients and administered the Treatment Satisfaction with Medicines (SATMED-Q) and the Morisky-Green questionnaires to their caregivers at outpatient consultations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Satisfaction reported was greater with transdermal than oral rivastigmine: mean ± SD of the total SATMED-Q score, 72.5 ± 14.1 vs. 65.2 ± 12.5, p < 0.001. The proportion of adherent patients was greater with transdermal than with oral rivastigmine (65.0 vs. 41.4%, p < 0.001). Satisfaction, in turn, was significantly greater in adherent cases than in nonadherent cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Facilitating the administration of anti-dementia drugs would improve adherence.
authors.affiliation: Fundació ACE - Barcelona Alzheimer Treatment and Research Centre, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Mercè
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boada
authors.forename: Francisco Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Arranz
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D017028:Caregivers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010349:Patient Compliance; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D048448:Phenylcarbamates / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068836:Rivastigmine; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D048448:Phenylcarbamates; D000068836:Rivastigmine