0088 : Depression and medication adherence in elderly patients with chronic heart failure

Abstract

Depression leads to adverse outcomes in elderly patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Medication non adherence is a potential mechanism for the increased risk of CHF events. To examine relationships between depression measures in explaining medication adherence in elderly patients with chronic heart failure (HF) patients. We examined the association between current depression (assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)) and medication adherence assessed by Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS 4 – item version) in a cross-sectional study of 147 patients with CHF followed in heart failure Unit of Cardiology department of IBN ROCHD University Hospital of Casablanca. Of 147 patients enrolled in our study, 55 was elderly, 47,3% were diabetic, and 47% were hypertensive, a total of 22 participants (40%) had depression. 16,4% patients reported not taking their medications as prescribed. 11% of depressed patients and 7,3% of non depressed patients don’t respect the time taken medication. The relationship between depression and non adherence persisted after adjustment for potential confounding variables, including age, education and social support (CI=95%, p=0.008). Our findings should direct attention toward depression as independent predictor of medication adherence in elderly patients with CHF. The author hereby declares no conflict of interest