Capsule commentary on Zhang et al., Race/ethnicity, Disability, and Medication Adherence Among Medicare Beneficiaries with Heart Failure

Capsule commentary on Zhang et al., Race/ethnicity, Disability, and Medication Adherence Among Medicare Beneficiaries with Heart Failure Paul A. Heidenreich, MD, MS Veterans Administration Palo Alto Healthcare System, 111C Cardiology, Palo Alto, CA, USA. J Gen Intern Med 29(4):648 and difficult to complete during a typical clinic visit. DOI: 10.1007/s11606-013-2736-2 Fortunately, several electronic medical record systems © Society of General Internal Medicine 2014 can now provide up-to-date medication possession ratios for each of a patient’s medications. One can envision future automated systems where a letter is sent or other contact made with a potentially non-adherent patient to n an analysis of Medicare patients with heart failure, determine barriers to care. As the authors note, reducing Zhang and Baik found strong racial differences in medication costs will not eliminate the adherence adherence to medical treatment. Native American, black, problem. In many cases an individualized intervention and Hispanic patients were the least likely to be adherent to will be needed that considers medical knowledge, common heart failure medications [beta-blockers, angioten- attitudes toward medical care and preferences for length sin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, or diuretics], versus quality of life. followed by Asian and then white patients. The same pattern was seen for disabled patients, with adherence rates lower for all groups. While white patients were the most adherent, the absolute values were still concerning as only 63 % Conflict of Interest: The author declares no conflicts with this were adherent (defined as having enough medications to cover article. 75 % of days)....