Heart attack survivors not taking medications, new study shows:

HALF of heart attack survivors are not taking their medications as prescribed to prevent another life-threatening episode or early death, according to new research.

HALF of heart attack survivors are not taking their medications as prescribed to prevent another life-threatening episode or early death, according to new research.

The study of 90,000 people also challenges the belief that many heart attack survivors need to stick to a lifelong regimen of three different drugs: beta blockers, ACE inhibitors and statins.

Findings from the international research, which involved Monash University’s Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, found there were no additional survival benefits to taking beta blockers if patients continued to take the other two medications.

The Heart Foundation’s chief medical ​adviser, ​Professor Garry Jennings, said the study did not show that people should stop taking beta blockers, which could trigger ­another attack, without consulting their doctor., which could be dangerous and trigger another attack.

Prof Jennings said Australian clinical guidelines were updated recently to ensure beta blockers were prescribed more selectively to patients, including those with heart failure or poor function​.

Half of heart attack survivors are not taking their medications as prescribed to prevent another life-threatening episode or early death, according to new research. Generic picture

He said the study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, showed more research was needed to determine if survivors would do just as well without beta blockers. ​​​

The low compliance with medication regimens was​ a concern, he said.

“Th​is adds to the​ evidence show​ing​ that people do not take their medications even for something as serious as ​preventing another heart attack,” Prof Jennings said.

“I think there is ​tendency ​for people who have hospital treatment to think they are cured, but they are not.”

​Researchers from Melbourne and the University of North Carolina analysed pharmacy dispensing records of US patients who had heart attacks to check their drug adherence and survival rates.

Six months after their heart attack more than half of patients aged over 65 were not filling the prescriptions given to them when they left hospital.

Monash University’s Associate Professor Simon Bell said the 12-month mortality rate was 9.3 per cent for patients adhering to all three medications.

The mortality rate for patients who stopped taking beta blockers but still took ACE inhibitors and statins was 9.1 per cent.

“Our study provides new evidence that questions the conventional wisdom of prescribing the combination of an ACE inhibitor, statins and the beta blockers, but more studies are needed before there are any changes to clinical practice,” he said.

Heart attack survivors who did not take any of their medications as prescribed had a death rate of 14 per cent.

The study highlighted the importance of patients adhering to their ACE inhibitors and statins.

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