As many as one third of patients do not take their medications as directed, data indicate.
for asymptomatic hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular disease were an exception to this general trend. The primary nonadherence rate for these medicines was 15.2%.
Drug cost may not have contributed to nonadherence. Manitobans with low income are eligible for the provincialprogram, which provides prescription drug coverage that is based on adjusted family income."Our Pharmacare program probably blunted any of the major cost impacts, whereas other literature has shown that cost is an indicator," said Singer.
The most compelling findings from the study, said Singer, are how common nonadherence is"and how infrequently we ask about it. We assume that people are following our instructions. We're often giving people second and third prescriptions before we even check if they're taking their first one.