A new Northwestern Medicine study, soon to be published in the American Journal of Managed Care, delves into the challenges patients with Type 2 diabetes face in adhering to their second-line medication after metformin, the primary drug used for managing blood sugar levels.
The study, which analyzed data from over 82,000 patients between 2014 and 2017, found concerning trends in medication adherence that could have serious implications for both patients and healthcare systems.
Remarkably, within just one year of starting a new medication, nearly two-thirds of the patients either stopped taking their medication, switched to a different one, or increased their dosage.
This lack of consistency in treatment not only wastes valuable time for both doctors and patients but also adds unnecessary costs to the health system. More importantly, it leaves patients at risk of not adequately treating their Type 2 diabetes.
The study focused on five non-insulin classes of diabetes medications. In four out of these five classes, 38% of patients stopped taking their medication.
However, this rate was even higher for those prescribed glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), with a 50% discontinuation rate.
GLP-1 RAs, drugs with names like Ozempic and Wegovy, have been approved for weight loss as well as diabetes management, but they’re known to have gastrointestinal side effects like nausea and diarrhea, which might contribute to the high discontinuation rates.
David Liss, the study’s corresponding author and research associate professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, highlighted the gravity of the situation.
He pointed out that discontinuing treatment can put patients at greater risk for diabetes-related hospitalizations down the line.
Interestingly, the study found that the risk of discontinuing medication was lower, and the likelihood of increasing the dosage was higher, when an endocrinologist prescribed the medication compared to a family or internal medicine physician.
This could be due to endocrinologists’ expertise in newer diabetes drugs, allowing for more informed discussions with patients about the benefits and drawbacks of various medications.
One significant aspect of the study was its reliance on health insurance claims data. This approach allowed the researchers to track when patients were prescribed medication, switched to a new class, or increased their dose.
However, it also raised the possibility that many patients might have stopped taking their medication without consulting a doctor.
Liss emphasized the need for ongoing communication between patients and prescribers over time, not just at the point of prescribing. This approach is crucial to address concerns about medication benefits, side effects, and costs.
This research underscores the importance of understanding patient behavior and the challenges in adhering to diabetes medication.
It highlights the need for strategies to improve medication adherence, especially among patients with Type 2 diabetes, to ensure better health outcomes and reduce the burden on healthcare systems.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about Vitamin D and type 2 diabetes, and to people with diabetes, some fruits are better than others.
For more information about diabetes, please see recent studies that low calorie diets may help reverse diabetes, and 5 vitamins that may prevent complication in diabetes.
The research findings can be found in The American Journal of Managed Care.
Copyright © 2023 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
