Medwire (11/21, Grasmo) reports that “over half of all patients with bipolar disorder (BD) on prescribed medication show compliance issues, with most unable to attribute their deteriorating condition to this behavior,” according to a study published in the December issue of the Journal of Affective Disorders. “The 15-question survey designed to ascertain 2448 psychiatrists’ perceptions on the level and causes of non-adherence in eight European countries revealed that 57% of their BD patients had medication compliance issues.” What’s more, “one-fifth of psychiatrists estimated that most patients show, or have shown, a lack of awareness about their condition, with three in four psychiatrists reporting that most patients who deteriorated following medication discontinuation were unable to attribute this to non-compliance.”
Related Links:
— “Bipolar patients oblivious to medication non-adherence risks,”Ingrid Grasmo, MedwireNews, November 21, 2012.