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Medication Adherence in Patients with Diabetes and Dyslipidemia: Associated Factors and Strategies for Improvement

  • Lipid Abnormalities and Cardiovascular Prevention (G De Backer, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus are commonly coincident, and together contribute to the development of atherosclerotic disease. Medication therapy is the mainstay of treatment for dyslipidemia. Optimal medication therapy for dyslipidemia in patients with diabetes reduces cardiovascular events but necessitates patients take multiple medications. As a result, sub-optimal adherence to medication therapy is common. Factors contributing to medication non-adherence in patients taking multiple medications are complex and can be grouped into patient-, social and economic-, medication therapy-, and health provider and health system-related factors. Strategies aimed at improving medication adherence may target the patient, health care providers, or health systems. Recent data suggest medication non-adherence contributes to racial health disparities. In addition, health literacy, cost-related medication non-adherence, and patient beliefs regarding medication therapy have all been recently described as factors affecting medication adherence. Data from within the last year support an important role for regular contact between patients and health care providers to effectively address these factors. Cost-related barriers to medication adherence have recently been addressed through examination of health system approaches to decreasing cost-related non-adherence.

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Acknowledgment

Thomas M. Maddox has received a Career Development Award from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

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Conflict of Interest

Lucas N. Marzec and Thomas M. Maddox declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Cardiology Section, 111B, 1055 Clermont Street, Denver, CO, 80220, USA

    Lucas N. Marzec & Thomas M. Maddox

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  1. Lucas N. Marzec
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  2. Thomas M. Maddox
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Correspondence to Thomas M. Maddox.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Lipid Abnormalities and Cardiovascular Prevention

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Marzec, L.N., Maddox, T.M. Medication Adherence in Patients with Diabetes and Dyslipidemia: Associated Factors and Strategies for Improvement. Curr Cardiol Rep 15, 418 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11886-013-0418-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11886-013-0418-7

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