Cardiovascular diseases still constitute one of the most important public health problems in Italy and around the world: together with cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases they are part of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), among the main causes of morbidity, disability and mortality. With almost 20 million deaths per year worldwide, in the European Union they represent the main cause of mortality (over 90%) causing 25% of the overall annual healthcare expenditure. In Italy, 60% of over 65s are affected by a chronic disease and, among these, cardiometabolic diseases are the most frequent. Managing and keeping these pathologies under control requires not only effective therapies, but also a constant and continuous commitment on the part of patients to carefully follow treatments and periodic checks. Despite medical indications, however, only 50% of patients with cardiovascular diseases correctly adhere to treatment, so much so that poor therapeutic adherence can be considered a hidden cardiovascular risk factor in addition to hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes and unhealthy lifestyles. correct.
To make it clear how crucial adherence to therapies is in the control of chronic cardiometabolic diseases, on the occasion of the National Day for Adherence to Therapy, 'Desidered Affects' is presented, the new awareness campaign promoted by the Servier Group in Italy in collaboration with the Italian Society for Cardiovascular Prevention (Siprec). 'Desired affections' uses the dynamics of 'couples' narrated from the perspective of therapies: the protagonists of the campaign are, in fact, sad 'pills and tablets', neglected by patients and committed to making patients and caregivers aware that the 'unwanted effects' of a poor adherence can be transformed with consistency and commitment into 'desired effects' for the health of our heart.
“Correct therapeutic adherence is fundamental for the success in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Educating and motivating patients to follow the prescribed therapies is crucial to improve their prognosis and their quality of life – states Massimo Volpe, professor of Cardiology at the University La Sapienza di Roma and president of Siprec – It is important that patients fully understand the importance of therapy and are supported in their treatment path, so that they can obtain the best possible results in the management of cardiovascular diseases”.
It has been shown that correct therapeutic adherence leads to a 20% reduction in cardiovascular diseases and even a 35% reduction in mortality from all causes. However, many patients experience difficulty in regularly following prescribed therapies, thus compromising treatment results and their long-term health. Already after the first year of therapy, it is estimated that 20% of patients do not correctly adhere to the prescribed therapies, a percentage which rises to 85% in the fifth year. The reasons for poor adherence to treatment are different: forgetfulness, complexity of the therapy, duration and possible side effects of the treatment and lack of perception of the potential consequences of non-adherence. There is also the possibility that comorbidities are present, which cause the number of drugs to be taken to increase and with it the difficulty in correctly adhering to the therapeutic plan.
“When treating patients, clarity in therapeutic instructions is essential to ensure optimal adherence. Providing the patient with precise details on how and when to take the therapy, considering circumstances such as meals or travel, is essential – explains Claudio Ferri, full professor of Internal Medicine, University of L'Aquila – Reduce the number of tablets through fixed combinations, both of the 'monothematic' type, i.e. directed towards a single risk factor, and of the 'hybrid' type, i.e. directed towards multiple risk factors , involves the prescription of different drugs, but combined in a single tablet and not prescribed separately. This considerably simplifies the therapeutic regime and significantly increases the probability that the patient will continue to take the prescribed therapy and therefore achieve the objectives more frequently of treatment in a way that is as effective as it is safe”.
Non-adherence then has a strong economic-social impact, as it translates into damage not only for the patient, but also for society and the national healthcare system, called upon to absorb the direct and indirect costs generated by healthcare and social security interventions. necessary to manage major events and related disabilities. Helping patients to better adhere to the prescribed treatment would save the lives of approximately 200 thousand patients and significantly reduce the economic impact in Europe, reducing healthcare costs by approximately 125 billion euros per year.
“This year too, the Servier Group in Italy renews its commitment to supporting therapeutic adherence in cardiovascular diseases with the new 'Affections desired' campaign: we are one of the first companies that placed this theme at the center of its commitment 7 years ago – declares Gilles Renacco, President of the Servier Group in Italy – Today we are encouraged more than ever by the recent evidence which estimates that in Europe around 200 thousand deaths and 9% of cardiovascular events could be attributed to poor adherence to treatment. For 70 years we have been committed in cardiovascular research which, through a strategy of incremental innovation, has developed a series of safe, effective and 'patient friendly' drugs that help facilitate treatment adherence for patients with cardiometabolic diseases”.
The fulcrum of the 'Desired Affections' campaign is an ironic and entertaining video, from which a set of informative-educational contents have been created, distributed online from today until the end of May, through company social networks and the Al Cuore dell'Aderenza portal, and offline with open air events hosted in Naples, Rome and Milan.
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