One-third of stroke patients ditch meds within a year
Only around half are fully adherent, says lead researcher Dr Monique Kilkenny (PhD)
Up to one-third of patients who have experienced an ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke, or a TIA, discontinue preventive medications within the first year after the event, according to the largest Australian study of its kind.
In the study, presented at a stroke conference in mid-September, researchers found four out of five patients were dispensed one or more antihypertensive, antithrombotic or lipid-lowering medications post-stroke, but many abandoned the drugs within months.
