While some studies point to a potential decline in chronic medication adherence during the COVID-19 pandemic, limited empirical evidence has been published to date. In order to address this gap, a recent CVC-led study examined whether the COVID-19 pandemic impacted adherence patterns in patients receiving chronic treatment with cardiovascular drugs.
This retrospective study analyzed drug dispensation data for over half a million adult Albertans who regularly used at least one cardiovascular medication between 2017 and 2023. The researchers compared medication adherence before (March 2018 – March 2020) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020 – March 2022), using the proportion of days covered as a measure. Commonly dispensed medications included angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers, statins, beta blockers, and calcium channel blockers, and the most prevalent conditions were hypertension, diabetes, and ischemic heart disease. Notably, and in contrast to what surveys and early research suggested, the study found that adherence to cardiovascular drugs among chronic users was slightly higher during the COVID-19 pandemic than before.
The researchers hypothesize that early pandemic initiatives aimed at mitigating the impact of lockdowns and limited in-person outpatient care, along with proactive efforts by organizations like the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and Hypertension Canada to counter misinformation about cardiovascular drugs and COVID-19, were effective. These strategies offer valuable insights for future pandemic planning.
This study was co-authored by the CVC’s Finlay McAlister, MD, MSc; Anamaria Savu, PhD; Luan Manh Chu, PhD; Douglas Dover, PhD; and Padma Kaul, PhD.
