14 DAY TRIAL // Scientists from the San Francisco VA Medical Center, in California, led by postdoctoral fellow Linda Park, PhD, determined in a new study that people suffering from heart diseases are far more likely to stick to their medication regimen if they are sent text messages or other alerts reminded them to take their pills.
In a briefing held at this year's American Heart Association scientific sessions, the research group says that the work focused on a batch of 90 heart disease patients, who were divided into three groups. People in all groups needed to take anti-platelet and cholesterol-lowering medication.
The first group was sent customized text education messages and medication reminders, while the second group only received education messages. People in the third group were used as controls, so they received no texts, Science Daily reports.
At the end of the study, patients in the first two groups turned out to be roughly 17 percent more likely to have taken their medication, and to have taken it on time, the research group announces.