Failure to comply with the doctor’s instructions can cause a worsening of the state of health.
Failure to comply with the doctor’s instructions on taking medicines can cause a worsening of the state of health, especially in the case of chronic diseases.
Any drug does not work if it is not taken. It may seem trivial, but we often forget it. We are talking about adherence to therapy, that is, respecting the recommendations of the attending physician regarding times, doses and frequency of taking a medicine. It often happens that the instructions are not followed and this has consequences on the success of the treatment.
The “numbers” of therapeutic adherence
Some studies reveal that, on average, only 15% of patients follow prescriptions correctly, while 60% do not comply completely: for example, they take a lower or higher dose, take the therapy at different times than prescribed, take the drugs in the wrong succession, he prematurely suspends therapy or continues it beyond what is due. A small percentage completely ignore the instructions received.
And often those who do not respect the medical indications of the doctor tend not to take too much care of their health in general. For example, he does not regularly undergo the necessary periodic checks, does not follow a correct diet and does not exercise.
What are the consequences?
Following the therapies correctly means running less risk of hospitalization, having complications associated with the disease and more safety and efficacy of the treatments.
Failure to adhere to therapy is a phenomenon that worries doctors, also because it affects a large number of pathologies: for example diabetes , cardiovascular and respiratory problems. Less adherence to treatment also means higher costs for health care. In fact, the patient is given drugs that will not be used and hospitalizations are often necessary to cope with the deterioration of the state of health.
The role of the caregiver
The problem is particularly serious in the elderly because they are often affected by multiple chronic diseases, and therefore have to take numerous medications. In these situations there is a greater risk of not following the directions for care. In addition, an elderly person may have problems with sight or mental clarity, difficulties that do not allow him to follow the prescriptions of doctors on his own.
In old age, it may also be difficult to remove individual tablets from the blister or to open the packs of medicines. Those who see poorly may have difficulty reading the labels and instructions on the package insert .
In many cases it is necessary for a caregiver (a family member, a caregiver, a nurse) to take care of the administration of all the drugs. There are also devices on sale that help you remember when to take medicines, such as memory packs or electronic devices.
It is good then to ask the doctor for all the information both on the disease (the possible evolution, complications, etc.) and on the treatment (the expected benefits, doses, administration times, duration, possible side effects and their management, etc.).
Even the pharmacist can give useful advice in case of doubts. In any case, it takes a lot of goodwill and a little organization, and meeting the requirements will become an easy task. All for the benefit of health!
