Texting heart medication reminders improved patient adherence

Abstract 15249 (Room D162)

2013-11-18

(Press-News.org) Contact information: Karen Astle
karen.astle@heart.org
214-706-1392
American Heart Association
Texting heart medication reminders improved patient adherence Abstract 15249 (Room D162) Getting reminder texts helped patients take their heart medicines (anti-platelet and cholesterol-lowering drugs) more regularly, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013. In a 30-day, randomized controlled trial of 90 coronary heart disease patients, one group received customized text education messages and medication reminders; a second group got education messages only; and a third received no texts. The text messaging groups had a 16 percent to 17 percent higher rate of taking correct doses and a higher rate of taking doses on schedule compared to the group who didn't receive text messaging. "There is now a major initiative to apply more innovative technologies such as mHealth, eHealth, and telehealth to effectively intervene to promote medication adherence," said Linda Park, Ph.D., study lead author and post-doctoral fellow at San Francisco VA Medical Center in California.

### NOTE: ALL TIMES ARE CENTRAL. ALL TIPS ARE EMBARGOED UNTIL THE TIME OF PRESENTATION OR 3 P.M. CT/4 P.M. ET EACH DAY, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. For more information Nov. 16-20, call the AHA News Media Staff Office in the Dallas Convention Center at (214) 853-8008. Before or after these dates, call the Communications Office in Dallas at (214) 706-1173. For public inquiries, call (800) AHA-USA1 (242-8721).

For more news from AHA Scientific Sessions 2013 follow us on Twitter @HeartNews #AHA13.

Statements and conclusions of study authors that are presented at American Heart Association scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect association policy or position. The association makes no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific association programs and events. The association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations are available at http://www.heart.org/corporatefunding.

Additional resources related to these tips are on the right column of the release link at http://newsroom.heart.org/news/sunday-news-tips?preview=a8e4639a5f1bb6b02710b7ca02606fa6.

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Graphene nanoribbons for 'reading' DNA

2013-11-18

Graphene nanoribbons for 'reading' DNA EPFL researchers improve the nanopore-based technology for detecting DNA molecules If we wanted to count the number of people in a crowd, we could make on the fly estimates, very likely to ...

Volcano discovered smoldering under a kilometer of ice in West Antarctica

2013-11-18

Volcano discovered smoldering under a kilometer of ice in West Antarctica Its heat may increase the rate of ice loss from one of the continent's major ice streams It wasn't what they were looking for but that only made the discovery all the more exciting. In ...

Protein coding 'junk genes' may be linked to cancer

2013-11-18

Protein coding 'junk genes' may be linked to cancer By using a new analysis method, researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab) in Sweden have found close to one hundred novel human gene regions that code for proteins. A number ...

Paths out of uncertainty

2013-11-18

Paths out of uncertainty Long-term and average changes are in the focus of the discussion on climate change: globally, as the different scientific climate models all predict, it will be warmer on Earth at the end of the century. For decision-makers and people affected by ...

Novel gene variant found in severe childhood asthma

2013-11-18

Novel gene variant found in severe childhood asthma CHOP genomics expert co-leads study, points to role in cell signaling, immune response An international scientific team has discovered a gene associated with a high risk of severe childhood asthma. ...

Drug shows early promise in treating seizures

2013-11-18

Drug shows early promise in treating seizures A study out today in the journal Nature Medicine suggests a potential new treatment for the seizures that often plague children with genetic metabolic disorders and individuals undergoing liver ...

Scientists invent self-healing battery electrode

2013-11-18

Scientists invent self-healing battery electrode Researchers have made the first battery electrode that heals itself, opening a new and potentially commercially viable path for making the next generation of lithium ion batteries for electric ...

Researchers identify main genes responsible for asthma attacks in children

2013-11-18

Researchers identify main genes responsible for asthma attacks in children An international team spearheaded by researchers from the University of Copenhagen has identified the genes that put some children at particularly high risk of serious asthma attacks, ...

2 for 1 in solar power

2013-11-18

2 for 1 in solar power Solar cells offer the opportunity to harvest abundant, renewable energy. Although the highest energy light occurs in the ultraviolet and visible spectrum, most solar energy is in the infrared. There is a trade-off in harvesting this light, ...

Oxygen, phosphorous and early life on Earth

2013-11-18

Oxygen, phosphorous and early life on Earth Two billion years ago the Earth system was recovering from perhaps the single-most profound modification of its surface environments: the oxygenation of the atmosphere and oceans. This led ...