MEDICATION ADHERENCE ASSOCIATED WITH POLYPHARMACY IN CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE PATIENTS

Chronic Kidney Disease is a considerable problem requiring coincident use of several medications in order to manage the condition and co morbidities. Medication adherence rate are diminished by complex drug regimens. Generally poly pharmacy fabricates chances of poor adherence and adverse drug reactions (ADRs). In Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) functioning of kidney is poor and decreased elimination of drugs leads to serious consequences. In this study 144 CKD patients were enrolled. The mean age was found to be 54.97 (±13.425). CKD was more common in male (66%) than female (34%). Majority of the patients were diagnosed with Hypertensive Kidney Disease and Diabetic Kidney disease and using 4 to 6 drugs concurrently. This shows that hypertension and Diabetes are the main risk factor for CKD in these patients. Most of the patients enrolled in the study were diagnosed with CKD for more than 3 years.  Patients with CKD were commonly using the drugs like Antihypertensives, Antidiabetics and other cardiovascular drugs. Most of the patients were highly adherent to the medications prescribed. No major ADR was found in the patients enrolled due to the impact of poly pharmacy. High medication adherence and low ADR incidence found in patients enrolled in this study and is mainly because of the better patient care in the Nephrology Department. Patients were well educated about their disease and the importance of medication taking. ADR is less common because of the monitoring drug therapy.