Patient Compliance and Persistence with Anti-Hyperglycemic Therapy: Evaluation of a Population of Type 2 Diabetic Patients

• Published in: Journal of international medical research Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 71 - 79
• Main Authors: Dailey, G, Kim, MS, Lian, JF
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.01.2002
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cohort Studies; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - drug therapy; Female; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents - administration & dosage; Hypoglycemic Agents - therapeutic use; Insulin - therapeutic use; Male; Metformin - therapeutic use; Middle Aged; Patient Compliance; Retrospective Studies; Sulfonylurea Compounds - therapeutic use; Type 2 diabetes; Hyperglycemia; Oral hypoglycemics; Patient compliance
• ISSN: 0300-0605; 1473-2300
• DOI: 10.1177/147323000203000111

The persistence and compliance of type 2 diabetic patients to different regimens of anti-hyperglycemic therapy were assessed retrospectively. The pharmacy claims from a pharmacy benefit management organization were analysed from the third quarter of 1996 to the fourth quarter of 1999. Of the 23 400 patients enrolled and initiating anti-diabetic therapy, 85% started treatment with monotherapy, 9.5% with insulin alone, 4.1% with polytherapy and 1.3% with insulin plus another therapy. Monotherapy patients were characterized as receiving metformin, sulfonylurea or another agent. For the 1-year follow-up period, 70.5% of the metformin patients, 75.3% of the sulfonylurea patients and 86.8% of the polytherapy patients underwent no regimen modification (except discontinuation). For the patients who had no modification of their medication regimen, persistence with sulfonylurea or metformin monotherapy was 65% greater than with polytherapy over a 1-year period. Compliance with sulfonylurea or metformin monotherapy was 45% greater than with polytherapy.