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Adhering to medication can lower heart risk

Date published: 08/12/2005

Heart patients who adhere to their medications reduce their risk of death by almost 50 per cent ? even when their medication is a placebo, a new study has revealed. Researchers believe the effect of the placebo is down to the fact that patients are more likely to engage in other healthy behaviours which may help their outcome, if they believe they are on medication.

The candesartan cilexetil (candesartan) in heart failure assessment of reduction in mortality and morbidity (CHARM) study was conducted by scientists at Duke University in the US and published in the Lancet. It examined 7,599 heart patients over a three year period, with some receiving the angiotensin receptor blocker candesartan and some receiving a placebo

Patients who adhered to their medicine ? defined as taking the medication at least 80 per cent of the time ? were found to have a 48 per cent reduced risk of death, compared to those who did not.

"Adherence to medications is a key and important predictor of mortality for all patients," lead author Bradi Granger was quoted as saying on Health Day News.

"Good adherence to medications was associated with a lower risk of death in all patients, both in those patients who were taking the effective medication and also in those in the placebo group," she added.

The researchers are now calling for more methods to help patients remember to take their medication in order to cut down on unnecessary heart risk.

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