The way people take their medications has a big impact on their health. Sadly, many patients don’t take their prescribed medications as they should.

In fact, about 50% of patients don’t follow their doctor’s advice on taking medicine. Research shows that around 25% of prescriptions are never picked up at the pharmacy, and nearly half of the people with long-term illnesses don’t take their medicines correctly.

Here Are Some Important Stats About Taking Medicines:

• Chronic Diseases: For people with long-term illnesses like high blood pressure, only about 50% to 70% take their medications as directed.

• Mental Health: Many people prescribed antidepressants only take them about 30% of the time. This can make their health worse.

How This Affects Health:

1. Better Adherence:

   • Using medications that combine different treatments can help people take their medicines more regularly. For those on fixed-dose combinations, there’s a 25% better chance they’ll stick to their treatment.

2. Health Benefits:

   • When patients take their medicines as prescribed, their chances of needing to go to the hospital can drop by 20% to 30%. Overall health can also improve by 20%.

Who Should Avoid Certain Medications:

Some medicines are not safe for everyone. For example:

• ACE Inhibitors: People who have had past allergic reactions called angioedema should not take these.
• Beta-blockers: These are not safe for people with asthma because they can cause breathing problems.

Knowing these things is very important. It helps doctors give their patients the best care possible.