• Posted February 4, 2025

Heart Patients Aren't Taking Lifesaving Meds

Drugs like blood thinners, cholesterol-lowering statins and blood pressure meds can protect the health and extend the lives of people with heart disease.

But only if patients take the drugs -- and many around the world aren’t, a new study says.

Overall, fewer than half of heart patients from 17 countries who could benefit from these meds are taking them, researchers reported in a new study published Feb. 3 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

“Our research indicates that there continues to be substantial under-utilization of these medications with little improvement over time,” lead researcher Dr. Philip Joseph, a scientist at the Population Health Research Institute, a joint institute of McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences in Canada, said in a news release.

As a result, many people are likely dying earlier from heart disease or leading sicker lives than need be, researchers said.

“Our findings suggest that current secondary prevention strategies continue to leave the majority of people with cardiovascular disease either untreated or undertreated and highlight the general lack of progress being made to increase the use of secondary cardiovascular prevention medications in most parts of the world,” Joseph said.

For the study, researchers tracked more than 11,000 people diagnosed with heart disease, heart attack or stroke ranging in age from 30 to 70.

Participants entered the study between 2003 and 2009, and had visits every three years for a total 12 years to check their health.

About 41% of the participants were taking at least one med to maintain their heart health during their first visit, but by the last study visit only 31% were taking a heart drug, results show.

Medication rates varied based on a country’s wealth:

• High-income nations like Canada, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates started with 89% of heart patients taking at least one med, but that declined to 77% by the end.

• Upper-middle-income countries like Argentina, Brazil, Poland and South Africa experienced an increase in heart med use from 55% to 61%.

• Lower-middle-income nations like China, Colombia and Iran started at about 30%, but declined to 13%.

• Low-income countries' like India, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe saw use increase from 21% to 28%.

Overall, the use of three or more meds to protect heart health remained low, starting at 12% and ending at under 14%.

“This landmark study underscores an immense opportunity to improve global cardiovascular health,” Dr. Harlan Krumholz, a professor at Yale School of Medicine and editor-in-chief of JACC, said in a news release.

“It is unacceptable that so many individuals worldwide who have already experienced heart disease are not receiving readily available and inexpensive treatments that could save lives and prevent further events,” Krumholz, who was not involved in the study, added. "We have the tools to bridge this gap in care now — and we must act urgently.”

More information

The National Institutes of Health has more on treating heart disease.

SOURCE: American College of Cardiology, news release, Feb. 3, 2025