Over 40% of CKD patients forget to take phoshate binders

UK drugmaker Shire says that new data from a patient adherence survey presented at the 44th annual congress of the European Renal Association, held in Barcelona, Spain, highlight that over 40% of patients with chronic kidney disease forget to take their phosphate-binding medication.

The research found that poor patient adherence to phosphate binders is linked to practical barriers such as the complexity of the dosing regimen and not understanding how to take them, as well as perceptual barriers regarding patient beliefs about their need for medication and concerns about adverse events, Shire noted.

Rob Horne, lead investigator on the trial, which assessed behavioral patterns of 221 patients with the condition across eight centers in the UK, said: "CKD can have a devastating impact on patients' lives. The study shows that adherence to phosphate-binding medication is adversely affected by a number of factors, both practical and perceptual. On the practical side, daily treatment requires often complex dosing schedules on top of an already difficult treatment regimen. This can include long dialysis sessions, strict fluid and dietary restrictions and a complicated medication schedule involving up to 25 tablets per day," he added.