Newsletters

Summer 2005

Are you really taking your medicine?

There is a hot topic in the medical world called “adherence to therapy.” This is a general term that refers to patients filling prescriptions they are given, starting to take the medication, continuing to take it, and taking it correctly. Although most doctors like to believe that patients follow their advice and take medications they prescribe, studies show that this is often not the case.

It is common for patients to not take medications for serious diseases, such as diabetes and congestive heart failure. It is even more common to not take medications for chronic diseases that cause no symptoms, such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and osteoporosis. The main consequence of hypertension is stroke. For high cholesterol it is heart attack. And for osteoporosis it is fracture– bones breaking under circumstances where they
would not normally break. Medications have been proven to be effective at controlling these problems and reducing therisk of their consequences. However, most research studies have shown that only about one-half or less of patients prescribed medication for osteoporosis are still taking the medicine a year later!

Why is it that so many of us do not take medications which can help us to live longer and more productive
lives? There are many reasons. Sometimes we don’t believe what the doctor tells us. Other times we
believe but don’t care. Medication can be expensive and have side effects. We may just get too busy and
forget. And taking medication may be a nuisance.

With osteoporosis drugs, help is on the way. A new pill is now available that is only taken once a month. Soon an injection that is given once every 3 months may be approved, and research is underway to test injectable drugs given once every 6 or 12 months. Ask your doctor for more information.