Evaluation of Medication Adherence and Appropriateness Among Heart Failure Patients Attending the Cardiac Clinic at a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study.

Heart failure is a chronic disease with significantly high morbidity and mortality rates, and a thorough understanding of medication adherence and appropriateness is crucial to ensure effective treatment outcomes. This cross-sectional observational study aimed to assess medication adherence, understand the influence of sociodemographic factors on medication adherence, and assess the medication appropriateness for heart failure patients attending the cardiac clinic at National Hospital Kandy (NHK). This study was conducted among 325 heart failure patients attending the cardiac clinic at the NHK. Medication adherence was assessed using the brief medication questionnaire (BMQ) after detailed medication history interviews. Statistically significant associations between total BMQ scores and sociodemographic factors were determined at 95% confidence interval. The appropriateness of the newly prescribed medication lists was assessed using the medication appropriateness index (MAI). Among the 325 patients recruited, the mean total BMQ score was 1.16; 11.7% of the participants were adherent to their medications whereas 15.4% had poor adherence. Most participants (52.0%) were in the probable poor adherent level. Statistically significant associations were observed between total BMQ score and age, sex, and education level. The mean MAI score was 0.56. Medication adherence among heart failure patients was poor and some sociodemographic factors influenced medication adherence. The appropriateness of prescribed medications was found to be acceptable.