Patients with advanced liver disease develop complications as their disease progresses, including hepatic encephalopathy, ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), and variceal bleeding. Moreover, they have decreased life expectancy with high rates of mortality related to infection, bleeding, and multi-organ failure, including the hepatorenal syndrome. Patients with cirrhosis are also at increased risk of developing Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) with several identified risk factors including frequent hospitalizations, regular use of antibiotics for prophylaxis or treatment for SBP, proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use, and an overall immunocompromised state. In a study of the impact of CDI on inpatients with cirrhosis, Bajaj et al. [1] reported increased mortality, longer hospitalization, and higher hospitalization charges in patients with both cirrhosis and CDI compared to patients with either cirrhosis or CDI alone (p < 0.001).
WHO estimates that half of all patients worldwide are non-adherent to their prescribed medication. The consequences of poor adherence can be catastrophic, on both the individual and population level.
Join our expert panel to discover why you need to understand the drivers of non-adherence in your patients, and how you can optimize medication adherence in your clinics to drastically improve patient outcomes.
Watch Dr. Anne Marie Valente present the last year's highlights in pediatric and congenital heart disease in the official ACC.24 Year in Review session.
