The problem of adherence to therapy in patients with coronary heart disease

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) occupy the first place in the structure of morbidity, mortality and disability of the population, therefore, the problem of effective treatment of CVD is still one of the most important in modern cardiology. CV diseases require lifelong therapy, so overcoming poor adherence is relevant in the treatment of patients. Suboptimal adherence is a proven risk factor that decreases the effectiveness of treatment, increases the risk of developing CV complications, as well as worsens the disease outcomes and quality of life. In addition, there is a large number of factors affecting adherence to treatment, which significantly complicates the solution of this problem. Coronary heart disease (CHD) due to high prevalence worldwide is a poorly managed risk factor for CV risk and death. Despite the wide range of available medications, adherence to therapy in CHD patients is extremely low and it is associated with an unfavorable CV prognosis. Prescription of adequate drug treatment improves the clinical condition of CHD patients and decreases the level of CV complications and death. Currently, there is no single strategy for improving adherence to treatment. There is a negative correlation between the level of adherence to therapy and the number of prescribed medications. According to current recommendations, one of the most reasonable ways to solve the problem of poor adherence to pharmacotherapy is prescribing single-pill combinations. The concept of using single-pill combinations is defined as the combination of several drugs contained in a single dosage form. This strategy helps to improve the control of several risk factors at the same time and reduce the risk of CV events. The results of many studies confirm the effectiveness of introducing single-pill combinations in the real clinical practice, since it simplifies the treatment regimen and leads to better CV prognosis by reducing the risk of developing CV complications. This literature review presents a modern view on the problem of adherence to treatment in CHD patients.