Understanding atrial fibrillation and NOAC therapy Atrial Fibrillation (AF), a prevalent cardiac condition affecting approximately 2.3 million Americans, is characterized by an irregular and often rapid heart rate. This condition significantly increases the risk of stroke, heart failure, and other heart-related complications. The advent of Non-Vitamin K Oral Anticoagulants (NOACs): dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban…

Impact of cardiac imaging techniques on clinical medicine Cardiac imaging techniques are important tools used in modern medicine to visualize and evaluate the structure and function of the heart and blood vessels. These non-invasive or minimally invasive imaging techniques provide important information for the diagnosis, treatment planning and monitoring of various cardiovascular diseases4. Echocardiography enables…

Introduction Heart failure defined as a chronic functional impairment of cardiac muscles is a life-threatening public health issue. It is an “emerging endemic” affecting more than 64 million people worldwide1,2. In high-income countries, the prevalence of diagnosed heart failure in the general population is estimated to range between 1-2% and could be as high as…

What is the health belief model? The Health Belief Model (HBM) was one of the first models developed in the 1950s, by a group of social psychologists to understand why people engage in or do not engage in disease screening and disease prevention measures2. There are six constructs of HBM1. A. Constructs of health belief…

Importance of medication adherence in managing CVD  Medication adherence plays a critical role in effectively managing CVD. CVD refers to a group of conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels, including coronary artery disease, heart failure, stroke, and hypertension. Medication adherence is important for several reasons: However, medication adherence can be difficult for a…

What is digital health?  Digital health is defined as the knowledge and practice of adopting any aspects of digital techniques that help in improving health, from inception to operation1.   What is eHealth?  The utilization of information and communications technologies that are both cost-effective and safe has become essential in promoting health and supporting health-related fields.…

Patients suffering from symptom-less chronic diseases are susceptible to non-adherence behavior toward their medication and lifestyle recommendations, especially if they are associated with other comorbidities. Type-2 Diabetes (T2D) is a metabolic disorder and is frequently associated with other co-morbodities like obesity and hypertension. These patients are predisposed to develop cardiovascular diseases, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neuropathy,…

Cardiovascular diseases are primarily lifestyle-associated illnesses stemming from unhealthy food choices and limited physical activity. This is further aided by our genetic predisposition toward clogging the arteries with fats1. Culture determines our food habits and shapes our beliefs and value systems. Often what we love to eat and have learned to believe are at loggerheads…

Cardiovascular diseases have a social and economic impact Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality globally, accounting for 17.9 million deaths a year,1 with around 75-80% of these deaths taking place in low- and middle-income countries.2 For example, in Russia, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in men aged 49 or older.3…

Key Messages Defining adherence Adherence is a key factor in the effectiveness of therapies for both chronic and acute diseases. This is particularly true for cardiovascular disease, where nonadherence to chronic medications can have a negative impact on both the patient and the healthcare system. Non- adherence is often dubbed the Achilles heel of evidence-based…

Beliefs have a strong influence over a patient’s motivation to adhere to treatment These include patient beliefs about their illness, their treatment and their own capacity for adhering (self-efficacy) It is vital that clinicians assess patients individually to understand their beliefs and motivations, supporting them in adhering to their medication regimens Beliefs have an important…

Measures and survey tools are useful for characterizing patient health behavior Quantitative methods are useful for characterizing health behavior and supporting patients in the self-management of their conditions. Surveys and questionnaires have the advantages of being easy to implement at the point of care and being acceptable to patients.1 They provide explicit examples and information…

Effectiveness of commonly used behavior-change strategies Commonly used strategies to influence behavior may work in some settings, but are often the least effective in actually instigating change, such as presenting threatening information.1 In the context of adherence, this might mean simply telling a patient to take a medication and expecting them to do it –…

PSPs are behavioral interventions for improving adherence Patient Support Programs, or PSPs, can range from simple calendar pill boxes or pill blister packaging, to organized programs based on behavioral science frameworks.1,2 They can either be provided directly by the physician’s office or via sponsored programs. They are designed to support patients in being comfortable with…

There is a need for a comprehensive framework for assessing adherence Systematic reviews of non-adherence indicate that there are a myriad of reasons why patients may not adhere to their treatment regimens.1 These include both modifiable reasons that can be targeted for change, such as patient knowledge and understanding of their disease, the support available…

Patient Support Programs are designed to boost adherence Patient Support Programs (PSPs) employ a variety of techniques to help patients follow their treatment and deal with their conditions.1 Some are purely informative and provide practical information to patients on topics such as disease management and drug management (especially for complex drugs), etc. The channels through…