title: Impact of HIV-specialized pharmacies on adherence to medications for comorbid conditions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if patients using human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-specialized pharmacies have greater adherence to drugs used to treat comorbid conditions and HIV compared with patients who use traditional pharmacies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study, with patients' propensity matched based on pharmacy use: HIV-specialized versus traditional.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nationwide pharmacy chain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult patients who filled at least two prescriptions for an antiretroviral therapy (ART). Patients also needed to have at least two prescriptions for an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) or a statin for analyses examining comorbid conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Proportion of days covered (PDC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The adherence analyses for ART, ACE inhibitors/ARBs, and statins included 14,278, 1,484, and 1,372 pairs, respectively. The mean PDC for ART patients using HIV-specialized pharmacies was higher than that for patients using traditional pharmacies (86.20% vs. 81.87%; P <0.0001). Patients taking ACE inhibitors/ARBs in the specialized group also had a higher mean PDC compared with patients in the traditional group (82.61 vs. 79.66; P = 0.0002), as did specialized pharmacy users in the statin group (83.77 vs. 81.29; P = 0.0009).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HIV patients managed by an HIV-specialized pharmacy have significantly higher adherence to medication for comorbid conditions compared with patients using traditional pharmacies. Patients of HIV-specialized pharmacies also have significantly higher adherence to ART compared with peers using traditional pharmacies.
authors.forename: Janeen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: DuChane
authors.forename: Bobby
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fitzner
authors.forename: Glen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pietrandoni
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Duncan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013038:Specialization
chemical_list: D057911:Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors