OBJECTIVES: We tested whether improvements in depressive symptoms precede improved adherence to aspirin in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). BACKGROUND: Depression is associated with medication nonadherence in patients with ACS, but it is unclear whether changes in depression impact on adherence. METHODS: Electronic medication monitoring was used to measure adherence to aspirin during a 3-month period in a consecutive cohort of 172 patients (25 to 85 years) recruited within 1 week of hospitalization for ACS. Depressive symptom severity was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) during hospitalization and at 1 and 3 months after hospitalization. Adherence was defined as the percentage of days aspirin was taken as prescribed. RESULTS: Depression severity in hospital was associated with nonadherence in a gradient fashion: 15% of non-depressed patients (BDI score 0 to 4), 29% of mildly depressed patients (BDI score 10 to 16), and 37% of patients with moderately-to-severely depressive symptoms (BDI score >16) took aspirin less than 80% of the time (p = 0.03). A cross-lagged path analytic model revealed that improvements in depressive symptoms in the first month after the ACS were associated with improvements in adherence rates in the subsequent 2 months (standardized direct effect -0.32, p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Diagnosis and treatment of depressive symptoms may improve medication adherence in patients after ACS.
OBJECTIVES: We tested whether improvements in depressive symptoms precede improved adherence to aspirin in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). BACKGROUND:Depression is associated with medication nonadherence in patients with ACS, but it is unclear whether changes in depression impact on adherence. METHODS: Electronic medication monitoring was used to measure adherence to aspirin during a 3-month period in a consecutive cohort of 172 patients (25 to 85 years) recruited within 1 week of hospitalization for ACS. Depressive symptom severity was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) during hospitalization and at 1 and 3 months after hospitalization. Adherence was defined as the percentage of days aspirin was taken as prescribed. RESULTS:Depression severity in hospital was associated with nonadherence in a gradient fashion: 15% of non-depressedpatients (BDI score 0 to 4), 29% of mildly depressedpatients (BDI score 10 to 16), and 37% of patients with moderately-to-severely depressive symptoms (BDI score >16) took aspirin less than 80% of the time (p = 0.03). A cross-lagged path analytic model revealed that improvements in depressive symptoms in the first month after the ACS were associated with improvements in adherence rates in the subsequent 2 months (standardized direct effect -0.32, p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Diagnosis and treatment of depressive symptoms may improve medication adherence in patients after ACS.
Authors: Karina W Davidson; Matthew M Burg; Ian M Kronish; Daichi Shimbo; Lucia Dettenborn; Roxana Mehran; David Vorchheimer; Lynn Clemow; Joseph E Schwartz; Francois Lespérance; Nina Rieckmann Journal: Arch Gen Psychiatry Date: 2010-05
Authors: Michael Davis; J Michael Brennan; Nancy Vish; Jenny Adams; Mary Muldoon; Tara Renbarger; John Garner Journal: Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent) Date: 2013-01
Authors: Ian M Kronish; Nina Rieckmann; Matthew M Burg; Donald Edmondson; Joseph E Schwartz; Karina W Davidson Journal: Am Heart J Date: 2012-10 Impact factor: 4.749