Nonadherence in the Advanced Heart Failure Population

Abstract

The number of patients living with heart failure (HF) in the USA now exceeds 5 million. Although HF is a disease readily treated by medications and lifestyle interventions, nonadherence is common, leading to worse clinical outcomes and increased healthcare costs. While adherence to medical therapy and clinician recommendations is key in the management of HF, it is perhaps more critical in patients with the most advanced disease, including those receiving home inotropic infusion, heart transplantation, or a left ventricular assist device. Yet, there is a paucity of data on the effects of nonadherence on the advanced heart failure population and little information on the most effective management strategies in these patients. Future studies of nonadherence in HF should utilize uniform definitions of adherence and, ideally, more objective measurements of adherence such as the novel "digital pill" technology.

Keywords: Heart failure; Heart transplant; Left ventricular assist device; Nonadherence.