Long-term use of antiplatelet drugs by patients with transient ischaemic attack

Purpose To determine the degree of long-term non-persistence to antiplatelet drugs in patients with transient ischaemic attack (TIA) and identify determinants of this drug-use pattern. Methods We used community-based prescription registry data to determine antiplatelet drug use in TIA patients presenting to a Danish neurology department in the period 2006–2010. Non-persistence was defined as failure to present a prescription for antiplatelet drugs within 180 days after the dosage of a previous prescription had run out. We used Cox regression to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) for non-persistence and the corresponding 95 % confidence interval (CI) by potential determinants, including a stroke risk score (ABCD2 score). Adherence during follow-up [80 % medication possession ratio (MPR80)] was calculated for antiplatelets, statins and antihypertensive drugs. Results The cohort comprised 594 (84 % evaluated as in-patients) TIA patients. During follow-up (median 1.7 years, interquartile range 0.9–3.0 years), 140 (23.6 %) patients became non-persistent. Non-persistence was associated with younger age (