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Medication reminder texts improved antiplatelet therapy adherence
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DALLAS — Text messages for medication reminders and health education improved adherence to antiplatelet therapy in patients with CHD, with an improvement in percent of correct doses taken, doses taken on schedule and number of doses taken, according to an abstract presented at AHA 2013.
“Using technology such as text messaging is a new and exciting opportunity that was well-received to promote medication adherence among patients with a wide age range following MI/PCI during a high-risk time period,” Linda G. Park, PhD, post-doctoral fellow at the San Francisco VA Medical Center, told Cardiology Today’s Intervention.
In the study, Park and colleagues examined medication adherence at 30 days with electronic monitoring devices (Medication Event Monitoring System [MEMS]), as well as two-way text message response rates and self-reported adherence. They enrolled 90 patients (mean age, 59.2 years; 76% men) recruited from a hospital setting.
Linda G. Park
At follow-up, MEMs indicated a significant difference in adherence only among patients taking antiplatelet therapy (P<.05). Patients in the text message medication reminder and education group were more likely to take the correct dose (88% ± 14% vs. 72.4% ± 27.6%; P=.016) and take the prescribed dose on schedule (86.2% ± 15.4% vs. 69% ± 29.2%; P=.01) compared with those not in the text messaging group.
Additionally, there was a higher percentage of doses taken in the text messaging education alone group compared with those not receiving text messages (95.8% ± 9.5% vs. 79.1% ± 27.7%; P=.01). Park and colleagues also reported that two-way text messaging rates were higher for patients receiving antiplatelet therapy than statins (90.2% ± 9% vs. 83.4% ±15.8%; P=.01), and that self-reported adherence improved for all groups over time, although it did not differ significantly between groups. – by Brian Ellis
For more information:
Park LG. Abstract #15249. Presented at: the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions; Nov. 16-20, 2013; Dallas.
Disclosure: Park received financial support from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and the UCSF/Hartford Foundation.
Perspective
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Cindy Grines, MD, FSCAI, FACC
This study is a step in the right direction. From the results it’s clear we still have problems with antiplatelet adherence, which increases the risk of stent thrombosis and death dramatically. The amazing thing is text messaging is pretty easy and quick and seemed to result in a highly significant improvement in terms of patient adherence to medications, which is phenomenal. The one concern I have is that a lot of patients in the Medicare age group may not be text messaging, so we don’t know if this is applicable to the entire population. Certainly when we get into the 70 years of age and older group, these patients tend not to be familiar with text messaging.
Patient education is also really important to improve antiplatelet therapy adherence. I don’t think there are a lot of people being educated as to the fact that this is the most important medicine they can be taking. What happens is patients go home with a list of 15 to 20 different medications they need to take and they don’t know that this is the one that can save their lives.
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