Use of the recommended drug combination for secondary prevention after a first occurrence of acute coronary syndrome in France

• Published in: European journal of clinical pharmacology Vol. 70; no. 4; pp. 429 - 436
• Main Authors: Bezin, J., Pariente, A., Lassalle, R., Dureau-Pournin, C., Abouelfath, A., Robinson, P., Moore, N., Droz-Perroteau, C., Fourrier-Reglat, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-04-2014; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acute Coronary Syndrome - drug therapy; Acute coronary syndromes; Adrenergic beta-Antagonists - therapeutic use; Aged; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cohort Studies; Coronary heart disease; Drug therapy; Drug Therapy, Combination - methods; Female; France; Guideline Adherence; Heart; Humans; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Hypolipidemic Agents - therapeutic use; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Myocarditis. Cardiomyopathies; Pharmacoepidemiology and Prescription; Pharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Secondary Prevention - methods; France; Europe; Secondary prevention; persistence; Acute coronary syndrome; Reimbursement database; Cohort study; Human; Persistence; Drug combination; Database; Cardiovascular disease; Coronary heart disease; Myocardial disease; Public health
• ISSN: 0031-6970; 1432-1041
• DOI: 10.1007/s00228-013-1614-5

Purpose
The recommended pharmacotherapy for secondary prevention of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is long-term treatment with a combination of four therapeutic classes: beta-blockers, antiplatelet agents (including aspirin), statins or other lipid-lowering agents, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers. The aim of this study was to describe use and persistence of the recommended drug combination after the first occurrence of ACS in France.
Methods
This was a database cohort study of patients with first registration for ACS between 2004 and 2007 in a representative sample of the French healthcare insurance database (
Echantillon Généraliste de Bénéficiaires
, EGB). The drugs of interest were those recommended. Persistence was assessed for patients dispensed three or all four drug classes within 2 months following ACS. Discontinuation was defined by a gap of more than 6 weeks between two dispensations. The follow-up period was 24 months after ACS occurrence.
Results
Of 2,057 patients with incident ACS, 872 (42.4 %) had at least one dispensation of each of the four recommended drug classes, and 684 (33.3 %) had three of the four classes. Persistence to treatment at 24 months was 57.4 % (95 % CI [54.0-60.6]) for patients with four classes, and 55.5 % (95 % CI [51.6-59.1]) with three classes. Discontinuation of initial combination was higher in patients aged  ≥ 65 years at ACS occurrence, those with associated ongoing chronic disease, and in those who did not suffer myocardial infarction.
Conclusions
Post-ACS secondary prevention in France is not optimal, especially in patients who did not have myocardial infarction.