Patients with diabetes show poor adherence to heart disease drugs

March 1, 2020

Adherence to heart disease therapies dropped by half within one year  

This study on diabetes looked at members newly diagnosed with diabetes who also had pre-existing cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Three separate antihyperglycemic drug classes are recommended as add-on therapy for people with diabetes who also have ASCVD. 

  • Glucagon like peptide-1 agonists (GLP-1) 
  • Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i
  • Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) 

All these medications require long-term adherence to reduce complications from ASCVD. But for all the drug classes in the study, adherence dropped off by about half within a year. (Yet the drug manufacturers reported adherence of 90% in their clinical trials.)

Among Commercially Insured Members with Diabetes Mellitus (DM), Choice and Persistence of Drug Therapy: Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitors (DPP-4i) Versus Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Agonists (GLP-1) or Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors (SGLT-2i) ((fall 2018))

Related news

Perspectives

March 30, 2023

Drug oversupply, or stockpiling, due to overlapping drug refills can cause unnecessary drug costs

If you have a chronic condition, your pharmacy may notify you advance of…

Perspectives

March 28, 2023

Biosimilars are at the door, Part 3

News about biosimilars is everywhere. Sometimes you just need the basics. This four-part…

Perspectives

March 27, 2023

Specialty Drug Pipeline Update: March 2023

This monthly pipeline wrap-up provides a review of newly approved specialty drugs, recent…