Compliance with their medication in Ménière's patients taking isosorbide liquid and the degree of dizziness handicaps comparison between bottled and packed products

Abstract

In treating patients with Ménière's disease, isosorbide, one of the osmotic diuretics, is an essential drug to reduce endolymphatic hydrops. However, isosorbide liquid tastes bad, and tends to reduce patient compliance for taking this drug. To solve this problem, isosorbide jelly has been developed. Although the taste has still problems, isosorbide jelly has the advantage that it can be conveniently carried in a handy pack. In this study, we compared the compliance in 16 Ménière's patients between taking isosorbide liquid in bottles and individual handy packs. Patients were also asked to comment on the differences in taste between isosorbide liquid and isosorbide jelly. It was hypothesized that the patient compliance for the packed products would be better than bottled ones so that dizziness handicaps would be reduced in patients who were prescribed the packed products. The results showed patient compliance for the packed products was significantly better than that for bottled ones and that the dizziness score was significantly lower in patients in whom the packed product was prescribed. Four of 5 patients had the impression that isosorbide liquid tasted better than isosorbide jelly. We concluded that isosorbide liquid tasted better than isosorbide jelly and that the packed products were superior to bottled ones in terms of patient compliance in taking the drug. At this stage, isosorbide liquid in packs is the most recommended osmotic diuretic in terms of ensuring patient compliance with their medication when treating Ménière's patients.