First, new research has show that, “Medications remind people that they’re sick. Second, no one wants to be sick.

Patients  view medications as “chemicals” or “unnatural.”

For example, one women told Doctor Rosenbaum that before her heart attack, she’d switched from the doctor prescribed statin to fish oil.   Fish oil pills,  unlike statins has not been proved to lower cholesterol and stabilize arterial plaque.  The reason,  a big societal push to do things naturally.  People feel that they can put an emphasis on diet and exercise.  Many are truly convinced that they don’t have to take medications.

Senior will  try to do a self test.  First, they stop taking the  medications for a 10-15 days.  Second,  if they don’t feel any different, they don;t resume the medications.  In fact, the never fill  the automatic pill box reminder.  Typical  for medications for‘silent’ conditions.  To illustrate,  heart disease and penser-for-alzheimers/”>high blood pressure. Finally, the  consequences  may not appear right away. Finally,  it will often result in serious long-term harm.

Patients do their own  cost-benefit analysis

Statins are inexpensive and the data shows huge payoffs.  However,  people don’t see  arteries as a serious problem.  Again, people jus don’t think it’s worth taking the pills.  Many will hear others talking about negative side effects.  These events will most certainly  drive down the chance of proper compliance.

Cost is another major factor.  The data has shown that if a co-pay hits 50 dollar, adherence really drops drastically,  When a medication is very expensive, like  biologics used in rheumatoid arthritis treatmentss that cost $4-4,500 a month, patients are less likely to take them.  In addition, many will take less than the directed dose.  Hence, rendering them much less effective.  For example, Aetna offered free medications to patients who had survived a heart attack.  These patients showed a, 6.8% increase in adherence.  Furthermore, were 11.5% fewer strokes and heart attacks.

People are Forgetting to take their a prescribed drug  everyday.  It is a common problem.  This is made worse for people with AIMM’s (Age Induced Medication Mistakes).  It is worsened by an ambivalent about taking medication. Patients can use various devices, including smartphones,  pill box reminders to help them to take the next dose.  Other use a buddy system to make medication adherence a group event or challenge. To sum up,  medication mistakes are totally preventable.  From a live-in care giver,  automatic pill box reminder,  or a list of other aids, mistakes can be prevented.