Effect of Reducing Medication Regimen Complexity on Glycaemic Control in Patients with Diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: Medication Regimen complexity is an important issue of patients care that needs to be addressed. The aim of this study is the safe reduction of regimens complexities. The effect of this intervention on glycemic control was assessed in this study.

METHODS: Seventy eight patients were recruited to the study. The entry criteria were non optimal glycemic, non-adherence (as demonstrated by indirect tools), and polypharmacy. The only intervention was the safe reduction of medication regimen complexity. This was done in view of the best practice guidelines; to ensure that all comorbidities are treated with the optimum number of medications for the optimum duration. There was no change to hypoglycemic regimen. All patients, whose hypoglycemic regimen has changed after the recruitment, were excluded. The primary outcome measure was the change in HbA1c three months after the intervention.

RESULTS: Reducing medications regimen complexities led to a significant improvement of HbA1c in the after phase compared to the before phase (mean HbA1c in the before phase was 7.7 ±0.43 % compared to 6.93 ±0.4% in the after phase. Mean reduction in the HbA1c was 0.77±0.23%, P values<0.001).

CONCLUSION: Medications regimen complexity constitutes a burden for patients with diabetes. Reducing such regimens might improve glycemic control in those patients. Further studies are needed to confirm this favourable effect on glycemic control.