SPOTLIGHT: Why patients don't take their medicine

Doctors have complained for years that patients often endanger themselves by failing to follow their prescription orders. A new study published this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals that the problem may be even worse than suspected. Researchers studying compliance patterns for a large group of patients taking blood pressure and cholesterol drugs over the course of a year found that within three months, 43 percent had stopped taking their medications as ordered. After six months, compliance figures were even worse with just 36 percent following instructions. Story

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