Use of the recommended drug combination for secondary prevention after a first occurrence of acute coronary syndrome in France

Purpose The recommended pharmacotherapy for secondary prevention of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is long-term treatment with a combination of four therapeutic classes: beta-blockers, antiplatelet agents (including aspirin), statins or other lipid-lowering agents, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers. The aim of this study was to describe use and persistence of the recommended drug combination after the first occurrence of ACS in France. Methods This was a database cohort study of patients with first registration for ACS between 2004 and 2007 in a representative sample of the French healthcare insurance database ( Echantillon Généraliste de Bénéficiaires , EGB). The drugs of interest were those recommended. Persistence was assessed for patients dispensed three or all four drug classes within 2 months following ACS. Discontinuation was defined by a gap of more than 6 weeks between two dispensations. The follow-up period was 24 months after ACS occurrence. Results Of 2,057 patients with incident ACS, 872 (42.4 %) had at least one dispensation of each of the four recommended drug classes, and 684 (33.3 %) had three of the four classes. Persistence to treatment at 24 months was 57.4 % (95 % CI [54.0-60.6]) for patients with four classes, and 55.5 % (95 % CI [51.6-59.1]) with three classes. Discontinuation of initial combination was higher in patients aged ≥ 65 years at ACS occurrence, those with associated ongoing chronic disease, and in those who did not suffer myocardial infarction. Conclusions Post-ACS secondary prevention in France is not optimal, especially in patients who did not have myocardial infarction.