Many statin users fell below the review's adherence threshold
The review estimated how often prescribed statins were used consistently and examined associated characteristics, without establishing why adherence differed between groups.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
This abstract-based review found that many people prescribed statins did not meet its threshold for good adherence. Adherence was lower in studies of primary prevention than secondary prevention, and varied with demographic and clinical characteristics. These patterns identify associations; they do not show that any personal characteristic causes someone to take medication less consistently.
None of the included studies reported failure to start a prescribed statin. The pooled estimate therefore does not capture this separate form of non-adherence.
What researchers found
Good adherence, defined as ≥80% medication use
Overall pooled prevalence, without a between-treatment comparator; the included studies had a median follow-up of 24 months.
What adherence meant
Good adherence was defined by the proportion of medication used during follow-up. This endpoint describes medication-taking behavior, not a reduction in heart attacks, and does not measure whether treatment was appropriate for each participant.
What group differences mean
Lower adherence was associated with smoking, depression and heart failure, among other characteristics. The abstract does not establish the reasons for these differences or test whether a particular support strategy improves medication use.
The original publication
Prevalence and Determinants of Adherence to Statin Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Basios A, Markozannes G, Ntzani EE et al.
Eur J Prev Cardiol · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 41401202
- Record checked
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