Diabetes management is becoming more vital than ever. Diabetes was diagnosed in an estimated 194 million individuals worldwide in 2003, and this figure is predicted to rise to 333 million by 2025. Thankfully, it has always been manageable for people who take their medicine correctly, consume balanced food, and live a healthy, active lifestyle.
A person with diabetes must maintain a healthy lifestyle and follow their prescription medication regimen, if they have one, to maintain a high quality of life. However, non-compliance with diabetes medicines is the second biggest cause of hospitalization today.
Medical practitioners must keep in mind that developing medicine is simply the first step in controlling diabetes. Aiding individuals in developing regular routines and avoiding non-adherence is essential in optimizing the quality of life for patients. Unfortunately, it is all too frequently overlooked in diabetes treatment.
Medication non-adherence can be caused by a variety of reasons, nonetheless harmful for people with diabetes. Here are some reasons for non-compliance common among people with diabetes:
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Forgetfulness or Lack of Perceived Benefit
Medication non-adherence can induce hyperglycemia and ketone accumulation. Diabetic is initially asymptomatic, which means that skipping an insulin injection or forgetting to take an oral diabetes medicine does not necessarily have immediate effects.
Because of the lack of symptoms caused by pharmaceutical non-adherence, it is not always easy to remember to take your medication until it is too late.
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Fear of Injections and Medical Side Effects
The fear or aversion to pain and the discomfort of injections and medication side effects cause some people to forego consistent diabetic treatment. Medication side effects, like vomiting and nausea, might prevent people from adhering to their diabetes meds list.
Knowing that these adverse effects are possible might deter patients from taking their medicines in the first place.
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Cost
Another element that distinguishes the American healthcare system is cost. Low-income individuals may be ashamed to disclose they cannot afford their medicines. Unfortunately, many prescribers are uninformed of specific prescription costs and drugs a patient’s insurance may cover.
When difficulties occur due to not following prescriptions, this frequently results in high-cost medical expenses for a patient in the future. One of the numerous advantages of healthcare reform would be lower non-adherence rates due to cheaper drug costs.
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Comparison of Adherence Patterns in Type 1 versus Type 2 Diabetes
Children with type 1 diabetes are taught the necessity of taking their insulin exactly as directed from a young age. When this habit is formed early in a child’s life, they are more likely to follow their doctors’ orders throughout their lives. It enables a youngster to have a better life in the long run.
Unfortunately for patients with type 2 diabetes, that behavior may not have been present. New and better habits must be formed gradually overtime to offset previous lifestyle patterns like lousy nutrition and lack of exercise. People with type 2 diabetes can live longer with a diet low in refined carbohydrates and high in protein and lipids and increase their physical activity.
While it is critical for a person with diabetes to track medication dose and timing, it is common for patients to forget. It is crucial to have family and friends who can guarantee that medicine is taken appropriately.
If a patient neglects to take their medication, whether purposely or accidentally, family and friends can be present to act as an encouraging reminder. Patients and their loved ones can now receive reminders via SMS and other digital communication, thanks to advancements in technology.
Conclusion: Combat Medical Non-Compliance
This concept of the necessity of creating good habits is being used to combat non-adherence in people with diabetes at all levels. The timing and dose of medications are essential in both the long-term and short-term management of diabetes. It necessitates the intentional establishment of new habits.
Simply altering how a patient takes their medication might vastly enhance their experience with it. Changing the day or time a patient takes their medication might remove all adverse effects.
At the same time, insulin pumps and injectable pens that disguise needles can help minimize patient anxiety. These techniques improve treatment adherence and make it simpler for people with diabetes to live happy, healthy lives.
At MedManage, we are a cloud-based medication log app and management system for patients and caregivers. It enables everyday tasks such as managing various prescriptions and keeping a daily medication diary, to be accomplished digitally and in real-time. Download our MedManage Medication Reminder on Apple Store and Playstore now!