Cardiovascular patients need to maintain their medicine

It is important for patients taking medicines for cardiovascular disease not to discontinue medication in the short term, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s (AIHW) new report ‘Medicines for cardiovascular health: are they used appropriately?’.

This examined how these medicines are being prescribed by GPs and used by patients.

Cardiovascular disease (heart disease, stroke and vascular disease) affects nearly one in five Australians and about 65% of those take medicines for their condition.

The AIHW report found some striking disparities. It showed steady rises between 2000 and 2006 in the rate of prescriptions for cholesterol lowering agents, blood pressure lowering medicines and clot preventing medicines.

But it also showed that many patients stopped taking medicines that were intended to be taken long-term to prevent or treat cardiovascular disease.

Susana Senes, of the Institute’s Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes Unit, said that 10% to 25% of patients had discontinued their medicines six months after starting treatment, and this rose to 21% to 47% 24 months after first being prescribed medication.

This could represent a significant lost opportunity to prevent cardiovascular disease or delay its progression and complications, with medicines known to be effective.