Defining Optimal Medication Adherence for Persistent Asthma and COPD.

Abstract

Adherence to prescribed medications for chronic respiratory disease is considered a keystone for successful management. There is little consensus, though, on how to measure adherence, what is optimal adherence, or the goals of appropriate medication utilization. These criteria may differ when studying medication utilization at the patient or population level. The role of consistent medication use in chronic respiratory disease is associated with better outcomes. Shared decision-making is one strategy to achieve appropriate levels of adherence that requires negotiation, compromise by both patient and provider. It also recognizes that both success and failure to achieve goals of adherence are shared. As such, we discuss the current understanding of adherence measures in respiratory disease and identify the need for more nuanced approaches to evaluate adherence to reach acceptable patient outcomes.