1 IN 3 HEART PATIENTS MISS TAKING MEDICINE.

SOME people with heart disease are failing to take vital drugs which help prevent heart attacks and strokes, researchers say.

Experts analysed data from 472 patients and found that 29 per cent - almost one in three - patients were not taking their anti-clotting drugs regularly enough.

Meanwhile, 23 per cent missed doses of statins, which help reduce cholesterol and the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Overall, 26 per cent of people did not take their drugs at all or regularly.

The research, which focused on a GP practice in the north-east of England, found that women were slightly more likely to take their medicines on schedule than men, as were older patients and those who needed to take larger numbers of prescribed drugs.

Pharmacist Wasim Baqir, from The Village Green Surgery, Sunderland, said: "Simply prescribing a drug is not enough.

"Doctors and other members of the primary care team, such as pharmacists, need to workclosely with patients so that they understand the importance of taking their medicines in the right dose, at the right time."

The findings were presented at the British Pharmaceutical Conference in Manchester.

CAPTION(S):

BITTER PILL: Patients miss out