Adherence to antihypertensive medications for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease events: a dose-response meta-analysis.

Abstract Objectives The aim of the study was to explore the association between adherence to antihypertensive medications (AHMs) and the risk of recurrence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in patients with a history of CVD events from cohort studies. Study design This is a dose-response meta-analysis. Methods PubMed and Embase databases were searched up to March 4, 2021, to identify English-language reports of cohort studies that assessed the association of AHM adherence with risk of recurrence of CVD events. Pooled relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by using a fixed- or random-effects model. Restricted cubic splines were used to evaluate the possible linear or non-linear association. Results We included nine cohort studies (54,349 patients) in the present meta-analysis. The pooled RR of CVD events was 0.66 (95% CI, 0.54–0.78) for the highest versus lowest AHM adherence category. We did not find any evidence of non-linearity association between AHM adherence and risk of CVD events (Pnon-linearity = 0.534); for patients with a history of CVD events, the risk of CVD events was reduced by 9% for each 20% increase in AHM adherence (RR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.85–0.97). The results of sensitivity analysis and subgroup analysis were virtually unchanged. Conclusions The high level of adherence to AHM is an effective strategy for preventing recurrence of CVD events. Patients with a history of CVD events should adhere to AHM.