Education of Migrant and Nonmigrant Patients Is Associated With Initiation and Discontinuation of Preventive Medications for Acute Coronary Syndrome

BACKGROUND: The benefits of preventive medications after acute coronary syndrome are impeded by low medication persistence, in particular among marginalized patient groups. Patient education might increase medication persistence, but the effect is still uncertain, especially among migrant groups. We, therefore, assessed whether use of patient education was associated with medication persistence after acute coronary syndrome and whether migrant background modified the potential associations. METHODS AND RESULTS: A cohort of patients discharged with a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (N=33 199) was identified in national registers. We then assessed number of contacts for patient education during a period of 6 months after discharge and the initiation and discontinuation of preventive medications during a period of up to 5 years. Results were adjusted for comorbidity and sociodemographic factors. Three or more contacts for patient education was associated with a higher likelihood of initiating preventive medications, corresponding to adjusted relative risks ranging from 1.12 (95% CI, 1.06–1.18) for statins to 1.39 (95% CI, 1.28–1.51) for ADP inhibitors. Lower risks of subsequent discontinuation were also observed, with adjusted hazard ratios ranging from 0.86 (95% CI, 0.79–0.92) for statins to 0.92 (95% CI, 0.88–0.97) for β blockers. Stratification and test for effect modification by migrant status showed insignificant effect modification, except for initiation of ADP inhibitors and statins. CONCLUSIONS: Patient education is associated with higher chance of initiating preventive medications after acute coronary syndrome and a lower long‐term risk of subsequent discontinuation independently of migrant status.