Pharmacists Help Heart Patients With Medication Adherence

Pharmacists in one study made a significant impact in helping heart patients stick to their medication regimens, report researchers. A multidisciplinary team at the US Department of Veterans Affairs talked to patients from a previous study who adhered to their medications after suffering an acute coronary syndrome, or an episode when blood is blocked from the heart, reports Pharmacy Times. These patients cited “supportive and concerned” pharmacists who called to remind them to take their medicine as a key factor in actually doing so. The study researchers “suggested that training health care providers to respect patients’ views about their medications could be the next step toward improving adherence,” reports Pharmacy Times. The research can be found in the latest issue of Patient Preference and Adherence, published in June 2015.