Doctors warn of common medication mistake that is killing people – 200,000 victims could be saved with a simple change
Millions who regularly take medications are at increased risk of death due to a common mistake, experts warn.
Doctors have estimated that hundreds of thousands of patients die each year due to a failure to follow treatment plans for health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease.
This can include skipping a dose of medication or accidentally taking more or less than instructed.
The consequences of doing so can be life-threatening, resulting in a need for more drastic and expensive, treatment, or death.
Known technically as ‘non-adherence’, not following medication plans is estimated to cost the NHS £930million every year.
Now, a new warning on the problem has been issued by the cardiovascular health awareness body The World Heart Federation (WHF).
The organisation estimated that in countries like the UK, only half of patients with chronic or long-term conditions follow their prescribed treatments correctly.
This, the body claimed, leads to increased hospitalisations, poorer health outcomes and the death of 200,000 patients per year in Europe.
Millions of Britons taking regular medications are at increased risk of death due to a common mistake, experts warn
WHF president Professor Jagat Narula said medics must do more to help patients stick to treatment plans.
‘The reasons for non-adherence are complex—from stigma and communication barriers to financial constraints—and we must act now,’ he said.
The WHF estimated that boosting adherence rates from 50 to 70 per cent could save €330 million (£275 million $356million) over 10 years in the EU.
Research also suggests supporting patients to follow treatments plan could save lives.
One study from China showed heart attack patients who followed doctors’ orders exactly reduced their chance of suffering another cardiovascular emergency by 39 per cent.
In a bid to raise awareness of the issue The WHF have launched World Adherence Day.
Professor Narula said: ‘Treatment doesn’t stop at the doctor’s office.’
‘With World Adherence Day, we intend to ignite a global dialogue and invoke a movement to make adherence — whether to medications, healthier living, or follow-up care — a healthcare priority that deserves a universal commitment.’
British research suggests patients with chronic conditions often struggle to follow medication plans.
An estimated two thirds of asthma patients and about half of schizophrenia sufferers have been found to follow their medication plans ‘sub-optimally’.
Another study found adherence among patients taking antidepressants drops from over 95 per cent to just 53 per cent within one month of prescription.
NHS initiatives that give patients regular advice from pharmacists about prescribed medication boosts adherence to 70 per cent.
The reasons why patients struggle to take medication can vary.
Sometimes the disruptive nature of conditions, such as depression or schizophrenia, can make following treatment plans challenging.
On other occasions patients suffering negative side effects from a medication simply stop taking it without discussing alternatives.
