TY - JOUR

T1 - High persistence of statin use in a Danish population

T2 - compliance study 1993-1998

AU - Larsen, John

AU - Andersen, Morten

AU - Kragstrup, Jakob

AU - Gram, Lars F

PY - 2002/4

Y1 - 2002/4

N2 - AIMS: Several studies have found that compliance with lipid-lowering drug (LLD) treatment is low. However, the results of these studies were based on crude measures of compliance. The aim of this study was to describe compliance with statin treatment by analysing prescription patterns on an individual level in a population-based prescription database over a 6 year period.METHODS: For incident statin users, all prescriptions for statins and drugs indicating cardiovascular disease or diabetes were retrieved from the OPED prescription database covering a population of about 470,000 inhabitants. Treatment was considered discontinued if the interval between two prescriptions exceeded number of tablets prescribed, plus 30 days. Compliance was assessed in terms of persistence and continuity. Persistence was defined as the period from the first prescription date to the date of discontinuation. Continuity was defined as the number of days with treatment (=number of tablets) divided by the total number of days in the period of persistence.RESULTS: 11% of the study cohort only received a single statin prescription. Survival analyses revealed a median persistence of 41 months. Less than 15% of the patients had more than 20% days without therapy within the period of persistence. Patients under 45 years without drug indicators of cardiovascular disease or diabetes presented the lowest compliance.CONCLUSIONS: The study showed good compliance with statin treatment in terms of persistence and continuity. A high percentage of the youngest patients, however, seemed to discontinue treatment before obtaining the full benefit in terms of decreased risk of coronary heart morbidity and mortality.

AB - AIMS: Several studies have found that compliance with lipid-lowering drug (LLD) treatment is low. However, the results of these studies were based on crude measures of compliance. The aim of this study was to describe compliance with statin treatment by analysing prescription patterns on an individual level in a population-based prescription database over a 6 year period.METHODS: For incident statin users, all prescriptions for statins and drugs indicating cardiovascular disease or diabetes were retrieved from the OPED prescription database covering a population of about 470,000 inhabitants. Treatment was considered discontinued if the interval between two prescriptions exceeded number of tablets prescribed, plus 30 days. Compliance was assessed in terms of persistence and continuity. Persistence was defined as the period from the first prescription date to the date of discontinuation. Continuity was defined as the number of days with treatment (=number of tablets) divided by the total number of days in the period of persistence.RESULTS: 11% of the study cohort only received a single statin prescription. Survival analyses revealed a median persistence of 41 months. Less than 15% of the patients had more than 20% days without therapy within the period of persistence. Patients under 45 years without drug indicators of cardiovascular disease or diabetes presented the lowest compliance.CONCLUSIONS: The study showed good compliance with statin treatment in terms of persistence and continuity. A high percentage of the youngest patients, however, seemed to discontinue treatment before obtaining the full benefit in terms of decreased risk of coronary heart morbidity and mortality.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Age Factors

KW - Aged

KW - Child, Preschool

KW - Cohort Studies

KW - Coronary Disease/prevention & control

KW - Databases, Factual

KW - Denmark/epidemiology

KW - Drug Utilization

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Hypolipidemic Agents/therapeutic use

KW - Infant

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Patient Compliance

KW - Sex Factors

U2 - 10.1046/j.1365-2125.2002.01563.x

DO - 10.1046/j.1365-2125.2002.01563.x

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 11966668

VL - 53

SP - 375

EP - 378

JO - British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, Supplement

JF - British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, Supplement

SN - 0264-3774

IS - 4

ER -