Statin compliance in the Umbrian population

Objective: To explore compliance with statin treatment over a period of 4.5 years follow-up in an Italian population and to investigate the degree of persistence and continuity in subjects with cardiovascular diseases. Methods: Pharmaceutical, medical and demographic data were retrieved from the database of Umbria Regional Government's Epidemiology Department. Statin users were stratified in different cohorts according to drug use, aspirin use and hospital admission for cardiovascular diseases. Compliance was considered in terms of persistence and continuity. Persistence was defined as discontinued if the delay between the end of the first period of treatment and the prescription renewal exceeded 30 days. Continuity was defined as consecutive annual renewal of prescription. Results: Statin users (n = 39,222) were identified. The median persistence on statin treatment was 5.3 months. Only 12.8% subjects were found to be persistent, while 49.6% renewed their prescription for consecutive years. The cohorts of aspirin use and major cardiovascular events were predictive of good compliance. In these cohorts subjects under 45 years showed the best rate of persistence and continuity. Conclusion: The study reveals low compliance among subjects who presumably receive prescriptions for primary prevention. We consider it important for these groups of patients to receive greater attention and better information.