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Automated text messaging may improve CV medication adherence

Issue: April 2015

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An automated text message reminder system was effective for improving medical adherence in patients with stable cardiac diseases, according to data from the AREST CAD study.

Researchers developed a novel automated text message reminder system to improve medication adherence in this population. After testing the system’s stability and capacity to improve adherence to placebo in healthy volunteers, the researchers recruited 30 patients with stable cardiac conditions (mean age, 65 years; 60% men) for the AREST CAD study.

Patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups:

• text message reminders up to four times daily at times of their prescribed medications in the first month and usual care without reminders in the second month; or
• usual care without reminders in the first month and text message reminders up to four times daily in the second month.

The text message reminders stated “Please take your medication now.”

At 2 months, 100% of patients had improved medication adherence with the text message reminders, researchers reported at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention/Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions. Overall, the RR reduction for nonadherence was 64% (from 1,243 to 476 total missed doses; P < .01).

In prespecified subgroup analyses of patients with depression, lower educational level and age older than 65 years, text message reminders were associated with greater absolute improvement in medication adherence compared with the total study population (16% vs. 10%). However, these subgroups had lower rates of adherence with usual care compared with the total study population.

“While the impact of this intervention on clinical outcomes was not assessed, it represents a potentially simple and scalable method for improving adherence to evidence-based therapies,” the researchers wrote in an abstract. – by Erik Swain

Reference:

Pandey A, et al. Abstract P93. Presented at: American Heart Association Epidemiology and Prevention/Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions; March 3-6, 2015; Baltimore.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.