Positive feelings help patients stick to prescribed treatment

Whether a patient receives a prescription to buy Lipitor or another medication to control their heart health, many individuals fail to take the drugs as their doctor prescribed. This represents a major health risk, as low rates of medication adherence have been tied to poor treatment outcomes.

A new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine indicates that a positive attitude and feelings of self-confidence may be one way to help more patients stick to their prescribed treatments.

Researchers from New York University examined outcomes in two groups of African Americans being treated for high blood pressure. One group was given standard hypertensive therapy, while the other received a type of behavioral counseling in addition to standard treatment. This counseling discussed the importance of recognizing small accomplishments and keeping a positive attitude.

The results showed that patients in the second group were 22 percent more likely to take their medications as prescribed.

"This is a relatively simple target that may have a huge impact and certainly a path we should pursue to combat cardiovascular disease," said lead researcher Joseph Ravenell.