CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne
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Observational Study
Lifestyle factors as predictors of nonadherence to statin therapy among patients with and without cardiovascular comorbidities.
Easily detectable predictors of nonadherence to long-term drug treatment are lacking. We investigated the association between lifestyle factors and nonadherence to statin therapy among patients with and without cardiovascular comorbidities. ⋯ People with cardiovascular comorbidities who had risky drinking behaviours or a cluster of lifestyle risks were at increased risk of nonadherence. Among individuals without cardiovascular comorbidities, information on lifestyle factors was unhelpful in identifying those at increased risk of nonadherence; that overweight, obesity and former smoking were predictors of better adherence in this group provides insight into mechanisms of adherence to preventive medication that deserve further study.
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Much is known about the short-term risks of stroke following cardiac surgery. We examined the rate and predictors of long-term stroke in a cohort of patients who underwent cardiac surgery. ⋯ Patients who had cardiac surgery were at highest risk of stroke in the early postoperative period and had continued risk over the ensuing 2 years, with similar risk factors over these periods. New-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation was a predictor of only early stroke. The CHADS2 score predicted stroke risk among patients with and without atrial fibrillation.