Limitations of trials included small sample sizes , short duration of follow-up , self-reported outcomes , and insufficient assessment of unintended harms and financial implication s. Current evidence suggests that mHealth tools can improve medication adherence in patients with cardiovascular diseases .
Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide , and a key barrier to improved outcomes is medication non-adherence .
The aim of this study is to review the role of mobile health ( mHealth ) tools for improving medication adherence in patients with cardiovascular disease .
Randomised Trial of Text Messaging on Adherence to Cardiovascular Preventive Treatment (INTERACT Trial)
Background About one third of patients prescribed blood pressure or lipid-lowering drugs for the prevention of coronary heart disease and stroke do not take their medication as prescribed . We conducted a r and omized trial to evaluate text messaging as a means of improving adherence to cardiovascular disease preventive treatment . Methods 303 patients taking blood pressure and /or lipid-lowering medications were r and omly assigned to being sent text messages ( Text group , 151 ) or not being sent them ( No text group , 152 ) . Texts were sent daily for 2 weeks , alternate days for 2 weeks and weekly thereafter for 22 weeks ( 6 months overall ) , using an automated computer programme . Patients were asked to respond on whether they had taken their medication , whether the text reminded them to do so if they had forgotten , and if they had not taken their medication to determine if there was a reason for not doing so . At 6 months , use of medication was assessed . Results Two patients were lost to follow-up , providing data on 301 for analysis . In the No text group 38/151 ( 25 % ) took less than 80 % of the prescribed regimen ( ie . stopped medication completely or took it on fewer than 22 of the last 28 days of follow-up ) compared to 14/150 patients ( 9 % ) in the Text group – an improvement in adherence affecting 16 per 100 patients ( 95 % CI 7 to 24 ) , p<0.001 . The texts reminded 98/151 patients ( 65 % ) to take medication on at least one occasion and lead to 20/151 ( 13 % ) who stopped taking medication because of concern over efficacy or side-effects , resuming treatment . Conclusions In patients taking blood pressure or lipid-lowering treatment for the prevention of cardiovascular disease , text messaging improved medication adherence compared with no text messaging . Trial Registration Controlled-Trials.com IS RCT
Limitations of trials included small sample sizes , short duration of follow-up , self-reported outcomes , and insufficient assessment of unintended harms and financial implication s. Current evidence suggests that mHealth tools can improve medication adherence in patients with cardiovascular diseases .
Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide , and a key barrier to improved outcomes is medication non-adherence .
The aim of this study is to review the role of mobile health ( mHealth ) tools for improving medication adherence in patients with cardiovascular disease .