Duration and adherence of antidepressant treatment (2003 to 2007) based on prescription database

Abstract

Only one out of five patients complied with treatment for over four months. Treatment periods were shorter in men. In chronic processes, patients receiving polypharmacy presented the best compliance.

Factors associated with duration of new antidepressant treatment: analysis of a large primary care database

“…8 Data from the present study suggest better adherence to treatment than in three recent reports using comparable routine care data from England, 2 Spain, 15 and the US. 16 In contrast to at least one of these studies, 15 the present study found no clinically important difference in duration of treatment between males and females, and little difference between first-ever and subsequent treatment, suggesting a consistent approach to prescribing by GPs. By looking at population rather than individual case characteristics, it was not possible to ascertain what personal features, such as attitudes and beliefs, are associated with continuation, although these have been examined elsewhere.…”

Drug Overdose in a Retrospective Cohort with Non-Cancer Pain Treated with Opioids, Antidepressants, and/or Sedative-Hypnotics: Interactions with Mental Health Disorders

“…15 Several studies have reported no benefit for short-term antidepressant therapy in the treatment of depression, but less is known about the effects on pain. 16,17 Short-term antidepressant therapy may be an indicator for non-adherence 16 to this medication and increased reliance on riskier medications for pain management. Alternatively, in an analysis of root causes of opioid overdose deaths, Webster and colleagues suggested that antidepressant use could pose risks due to central nervous system depressant effects, and recommended structured care for persons with mental health disorders who are treated with opioids for pain.…”

Prospective analysis of the medicine possession ratio of antidepressants in the private health sector of South Africa, 2006 - 2011

“…[28,29] The MPR is considered acceptable if the calculated value is ≥80% but ≤110%. [14] An MPR of <80% indicates the presence of refill gaps, so that possession is considered unacceptably low (undersupply), whereas an MPR >110% is considered unacceptably high (oversupply). Data management and analysis were performed using SAS Version 9.1.3 (SAS Institute, USA).…”

“…The MPR is a well-established method of calculating drug compliance in pharmcoepidemiological studies, including chronic diseases such as depression, [14] hypertension [25] osteoporosis [26] and schizophrenia. [27] However, it is important to note that the compliance value obtained from the MPR only gives an indication of the possession of medicine by the patient, and that appropriate consumption of medicine is assumed to ensue from possession.…”

“…[13] In a Spanish study, 56% of patients discontinued their AD treatment within the first 4 months, whereas only 22% maintained satisfactory adherence over a 5-year period. [14] Many studies concur that between 30% and 60% of patients do not comply with AD treatment, [15][16] and that up to 30% are likely to stop taking ADs within the first month after the start of treatment. In addition, 45 -60% of patients will have stopped their pre scribed treatment by the end of the third month.…”