Table 2.
Reasons for discontinuation of lipid-lowering medications
| Before 2007 | After 2007 | |
|---|---|---|
| No new drug started, n (%) | ||
| Adverse reaction | 211 (10.82) | 104 (21.05) |
| Change requested by insurance | 29 (1.49) | 8 (1.62) |
| Ineffective | 22 (1.13) | 4 (0.81) |
| Other | 1,671 (85.69) | 375 (75.91) |
| Too expensive | 17 (0.87) | 3 (0.61) |
| Subtotal | 1,950 (19.36)1 | 494 (4.90)1 |
| New drug started, n (%) | ||
| Adverse reaction | 270 (4.75) | 180 (9.25) |
| Change requested by insurance | 977 (17.19) | 403 (20.71) |
| Ineffective | 164 (2.89) | 84 (4.32) |
| Other | 3,871 (68.13) | 1,195 (61.41) |
| Too expensive | 400 (7.04) | 84 (4.32) |
| Subtotal | 5,682 (56.41)1 | 1,946 (19.32)1 |
1
Percent of all 10,072 patients who discontinued lipid-lowering medications.