Assessment of Patients’ Views on Drug Benefits and Risks: An Interview Study with Cardiovascular Patients

Better and balanced information strategies supporting cardiovascular patients’ adherence are required. Cardiovascular drugs have outstanding morbidity and mortality benefits. This can be counteracted by patients’ perceptions of risks. Drug information should help the patient but not fuel unwarranted...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ines Wakob, Ina Wintsche, Annett Frisch, Yvonne Remane, Ulrich Laufs, Thilo Bertsche, Susanne Schiek
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2022-01-01
Series:International Journal of Clinical Practice
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/6585271
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850216148633649152
author Ines Wakob
Ina Wintsche
Annett Frisch
Yvonne Remane
Ulrich Laufs
Thilo Bertsche
Susanne Schiek
author_facet Ines Wakob
Ina Wintsche
Annett Frisch
Yvonne Remane
Ulrich Laufs
Thilo Bertsche
Susanne Schiek
author_sort Ines Wakob
collection DOAJ
description Better and balanced information strategies supporting cardiovascular patients’ adherence are required. Cardiovascular drugs have outstanding morbidity and mortality benefits. This can be counteracted by patients’ perceptions of risks. Drug information should help the patient but not fuel unwarranted fears. We performed a cross-sectional survey of patients admitted to a cardiology ward. We evaluated (i) the patients’ general benefit-risk estimation of their pharmacotherapy; (ii) views on benefits; (iii) views on risks; and (iv) information sources. Additionally, we assessed aspects of anxiety and depression with the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4). (i) 67 patients (66%) rated expected drug benefits higher than potential risks. (ii) 72% of benefits motivated the patients to take their medication as prescribed. Patients more frequently mentioned surrogate markers as benefits than clinical benefits (p<0.001). (iii) 56% of risks mentioned were perceived as bothersome and 35% as concerning. Risks were more often perceived as bothersome and concerning by patients with higher PHQ-4 scores (p=0.016). (iv) Physicians were the most frequent information source of benefits (92% of patients) and risks (45%), and pharmacy staff for 27% and 14%, respectively. Laymen or media served as sources of information on benefits in 39%, for risks in 40%, and package leaflets in 26% and 36%. 42% of the patients would like to receive more information on benefits versus 27% on risks. Our results suggest that knowledge of benefits motivates patients to take their drugs as prescribed. There is already good information on surrogate markers for process control with active patient involvement. However, a lack of knowledge still exists in relation to clinical benefits. Regarding risks, it has been shown that patients with higher PHQ-4 scores are more likely to be bothered or concerned. Both emphases on clinical benefits and individualization depending on PHQ-4 scores may be valuable resources for patient counseling to support adherence.
format Article
id doaj-art-41b363acf43f4c34be67343cbae737d5
institution OA Journals
issn 1742-1241
language English
publishDate 2022-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series International Journal of Clinical Practice
spelling doaj-art-41b363acf43f4c34be67343cbae737d52025-08-20T02:08:24ZengWileyInternational Journal of Clinical Practice1742-12412022-01-01202210.1155/2022/6585271Assessment of Patients’ Views on Drug Benefits and Risks: An Interview Study with Cardiovascular PatientsInes Wakob0Ina Wintsche1Annett Frisch2Yvonne Remane3Ulrich Laufs4Thilo Bertsche5Susanne Schiek6Clinical PharmacyClinical PharmacyDrug Safety CenterDrug Safety CenterKlinik und Poliklinik für KardiologieClinical PharmacyClinical PharmacyBetter and balanced information strategies supporting cardiovascular patients’ adherence are required. Cardiovascular drugs have outstanding morbidity and mortality benefits. This can be counteracted by patients’ perceptions of risks. Drug information should help the patient but not fuel unwarranted fears. We performed a cross-sectional survey of patients admitted to a cardiology ward. We evaluated (i) the patients’ general benefit-risk estimation of their pharmacotherapy; (ii) views on benefits; (iii) views on risks; and (iv) information sources. Additionally, we assessed aspects of anxiety and depression with the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4). (i) 67 patients (66%) rated expected drug benefits higher than potential risks. (ii) 72% of benefits motivated the patients to take their medication as prescribed. Patients more frequently mentioned surrogate markers as benefits than clinical benefits (p<0.001). (iii) 56% of risks mentioned were perceived as bothersome and 35% as concerning. Risks were more often perceived as bothersome and concerning by patients with higher PHQ-4 scores (p=0.016). (iv) Physicians were the most frequent information source of benefits (92% of patients) and risks (45%), and pharmacy staff for 27% and 14%, respectively. Laymen or media served as sources of information on benefits in 39%, for risks in 40%, and package leaflets in 26% and 36%. 42% of the patients would like to receive more information on benefits versus 27% on risks. Our results suggest that knowledge of benefits motivates patients to take their drugs as prescribed. There is already good information on surrogate markers for process control with active patient involvement. However, a lack of knowledge still exists in relation to clinical benefits. Regarding risks, it has been shown that patients with higher PHQ-4 scores are more likely to be bothered or concerned. Both emphases on clinical benefits and individualization depending on PHQ-4 scores may be valuable resources for patient counseling to support adherence.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/6585271
spellingShingle Ines Wakob
Ina Wintsche
Annett Frisch
Yvonne Remane
Ulrich Laufs
Thilo Bertsche
Susanne Schiek
Assessment of Patients’ Views on Drug Benefits and Risks: An Interview Study with Cardiovascular Patients
International Journal of Clinical Practice
title Assessment of Patients’ Views on Drug Benefits and Risks: An Interview Study with Cardiovascular Patients
title_full Assessment of Patients’ Views on Drug Benefits and Risks: An Interview Study with Cardiovascular Patients
title_fullStr Assessment of Patients’ Views on Drug Benefits and Risks: An Interview Study with Cardiovascular Patients
title_full_unstemmed Assessment of Patients’ Views on Drug Benefits and Risks: An Interview Study with Cardiovascular Patients
title_short Assessment of Patients’ Views on Drug Benefits and Risks: An Interview Study with Cardiovascular Patients
title_sort assessment of patients views on drug benefits and risks an interview study with cardiovascular patients
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/6585271
work_keys_str_mv AT ineswakob assessmentofpatientsviewsondrugbenefitsandrisksaninterviewstudywithcardiovascularpatients
AT inawintsche assessmentofpatientsviewsondrugbenefitsandrisksaninterviewstudywithcardiovascularpatients
AT annettfrisch assessmentofpatientsviewsondrugbenefitsandrisksaninterviewstudywithcardiovascularpatients
AT yvonneremane assessmentofpatientsviewsondrugbenefitsandrisksaninterviewstudywithcardiovascularpatients
AT ulrichlaufs assessmentofpatientsviewsondrugbenefitsandrisksaninterviewstudywithcardiovascularpatients
AT thilobertsche assessmentofpatientsviewsondrugbenefitsandrisksaninterviewstudywithcardiovascularpatients
AT susanneschiek assessmentofpatientsviewsondrugbenefitsandrisksaninterviewstudywithcardiovascularpatients