National Rates of Nonadherence to Antihypertensive Medications Among Insured Adults With Hypertension, 2015

• DOI: 10.1161/hypertensionaha.119.13616
• Publication Date: 2019-11-04T10:00:40Z
• Authors: Tiffany E. Chang; Matthew D. Ritchey; Soyoun Park; Anping Chang; Erika C. Odom; Jeffrey Durthaler; Sandra L. Jackson; Fleetwood Loustalot
• Keywords: Antihypertensive drug

Despite the importance of antihypertensive medication therapy for blood pressure control, no single data system provides estimates nonadherence rates across age groups and health insurance plans types. Using multiple administrative datasets national survey data, we determined plan-specific overall weighted to medications among insured hypertensive US adults in 2015. We used 2015 prescription claims from Medicare Part D 3 IBM MarketScan databases (Commercial, Medicaid, Supplemental) calculate aged ≥18 years with public or private using proportion days covered algorithm. These findings, combination National Health Interview Survey were project nonadherence. included 23.8 million who filled 265.8 prescriptions medications. Nonadherence differed by plan type (highest Medicaid members, 55.4%; lowest 25.2%). The rate was 31.0%, greater women versus men, younger older (aged 18-34 years, 58.1%; 65-74 24.4%), fixed-dose nonusers (31.2%) users (29.4%), pharmacy outlet (retail only, 30.7%; any mail order, 19.8%). In 2015, almost one-third (≈16.3 million) diagnosed hypertension considered nonadherent their regimen, considerable disparities evident. Public healthcare professionals can use available evidence-based interventions address improve control.