title: Accumulation of cardiovascular and diabetes medication among apparently healthy statin initiators.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize accumulation of drug-modifiable cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in statin initiators who had no prior medication or hospitalizations for CV disease or diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort of 45-75-year-old statin initiators in Finland with no prior CV diseases, diabetes or medication for these conditions was followed up for 24 months after statin initiation for accumulation of CV and diabetes drugs. The number of drugs was measured semi-annually since the first statin purchase and analyzed by growth mixture modeling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 11 948 apparently healthy statin initiators, 34% purchased at least one additional CV or diabetes drug during the subsequent 24 months. Of those, 20% redeemed no other CV or diabetes drugs at statin initiation but started to accumulate them after 18 months of follow-up, receiving on average 1.3 other drugs at 24 months. The majority, 59%, redeemed on average 0.5 drugs at statin initiation and accumulated 1.5 drugs by the end of 24-month follow-up. Seventeen percent received 1 additional drug at statin initiation, accumulating on average 3 drugs. The remaining 4% with an average of 2 CV or diabetes drugs at statin initiation redeemed 3.5 additional drugs during the follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Two years after statin initiation, 2 in 3 apparently healthy initiators could still be defined as such as reflected by CV and diabetes medication use.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Drug Development and Therapeutics, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Drug Research Doctoral Programme, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors: Piia
authors: P
authors: Lavikainen
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Drug Development and Therapeutics, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Public Health, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors: Maarit Jaana
authors: MJ
authors: Korhonen
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Drug Development and Therapeutics, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Tykslab, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
authors: Risto
authors: R
authors: Huupponen
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Drug Development and Therapeutics, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Unit of Primary Health Care, Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Arja
authors: A
authors: Helin-Salmivaara
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents