Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Treatment Adherence in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure

Abstract

Background: To assess the influence of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) pandemic on treatment adherence by patients with CHF (Chronic heart failure) and to determine the factors associated with changing adherence during home-isolation. Methods: The survey was conducted in patients participating in the COMPLIANCE study (ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT04262583). Thirty-one patients, included into the COMPLIANCE study before March 1, 2020, were interviewed through phone calls. A modified adherence scale of the National Society for Evidence-Based Pharmacotherapy was used, which permits to assess overall adherence, adherence to particular drugs and the main causes for non-adherence. Results: In the whole group of patients, only a tendency to reduced overall adherence was registered during the COVID-19 pandemic (р=0,256). Significant differences in the rate of adherence deterioration were revealed for angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (p=0.031) and for statins (p=0.002). The reasons for non-adherence were lack of opportunity to contact with physician, inability to perform investigations necessary for correcting prescribed pharmacotherapy, and side effects. Conclusion: A tendency to deterioration of adherence to prescribed pharmacotherapy was revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic. A significant decline in adherence was registered to ACE-inhibitors and statins.

Keywords

• adherence to treatment
• period of home-isolation
• covid-19
• chronic heart failure
• factors of non- adherence