Are You Teaching Patients To Manage Side Effects?

A medication that is more expensive but has fewer side effects may be the most cost-effective.

Why? When patients experience adverse effects, many just stop taking the medication. In one study, 28% of patients having side effects stopped the medication without ever telling their doctor.

In a study of patients taking antihypertensive medications, 61% of those who did not develop side effects were compliant. In contrast, only 31% among those who developed side effects took the medication correctly.

Contact Consumer Health Information Corporation to find out how to ensure that patients know what to expect and know how to manage common side effects. This will give them a positive alternative to stopping the drug.