Glaucoma medication persistence with a fixed combination versus multiple bottles

• Published in: Current medical research and opinion 2009-10, Vol.25 (10), p.2543-2547
• Main Authors: Higginbotham, Eve J., Hansen, Jan, Davis, Elizabeth J., Walt, John G., Guckian, Angela
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Child; Child, Preschool; Cohort Studies; Combination drug therapy; Drug Combinations; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Glaucoma - drug therapy; Humans; Infant; Male; Middle Aged; Patient compliance; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0300-7995; 1473-4877
• DOI: 10.1185/03007990903260129

Abstract Objective: To determine if prescribing combination therapy versus two or three separate bottles results in greater persistence among patients with glaucoma. Methods: Using a retail pharmacy claims database, three glaucoma patient cohorts were defined and followed for 12 months (January 2004 through December 2004). Patients in cohort 1 had a prescription for a single fixed-combination therapy during the month of January 2004. Cohort 2 consisted of patients with prescriptions for a β-blocker and one other glaucoma product in the same month. Cohort 3 comprised patients with prescriptions filled for three different glaucoma therapies during the first month. A fixed-combination formulation may have been included in cohorts 2 and 3 as well, but was counted as a single bottle. Persistence rate, defined as the percentage of patients who did not discontinue their medication over the 12-month period, was calculated. Results: Cohort 1 (one bottle; n = 14 742) was more persistent than cohort 2 (two bottles; n = 18 411), with 35.3% vs. 27.2% of patients remaining on therapy at the end of the study period (p