Ewha Medical Journal

"Medication adherence"

Review

[English]

The role and prospects of telemedicine in the treatment of heart failure patients: a narrative review: Dong-Ju Choi; Ewha Med J 2025;48(2):e26. Published online April 8, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12771/emj.2025.00360

Abstract
PDF

Heart failure (HF) represents a significant global health burden characterized by high morbidity, mortality, and healthcare utilization. Traditional in-person care models face considerable limitations in providing continuous monitoring and timely interventions for HF patients. Telemedicine—defined as the remote delivery of healthcare via information and communication technologies—has emerged as a promising solution to these challenges. This review examines the evolution, current applications, clinical evidence, limitations, and future directions of telemedicine in HF management. Evidence from randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses indicates that telemedicine interventions can improve guideline-directed medical therapy implementation, reduce hospitalization rates, improve patient engagement, and potentially decrease mortality among HF patients. Remote monitoring systems that track vital signs, symptoms, and medication adherence allow for the early detection of clinical deterioration, enabling timely interventions before decompensation occurs. Despite these benefits, telemedicine implementation faces several barriers, including technological limitations, reimbursement issues, digital literacy gaps, and challenges in integrating workflows. Future directions include developing standardized guidelines, designing patient-centered technologies, and establishing hybrid care models that combine virtual and in-person approaches. As healthcare systems worldwide seek more efficient and effective strategies for managing the growing population of individuals with HF, telemedicine offers a solution that may significantly improve patient outcomes and quality of life.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Recent advances in pulmonary tuberculosis, the application of deep learning to medical topics, and highlights from this issue of Ewha Medical Journal
Hae-Sun Chung
Ewha Medical Journal.2025; 48(2): e16. CrossRef

962 View
27 Download
1 Crossref

Original Article

[English]

Medication Adherence in Korean Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Its Associated Factors: Kyunghwan Oh, Eun Ja Kwon, Jeong Hye Kim, Kyuwon Kim, Jae Yong Lee, Hee Seung Hong, Seung Wook Hong, Jin Hwa Park, Sung Wook Hwang, Dong-Hoon Yang, Byong Duk Ye, Jeong-Sik Byeon, Seung-Jae Myung, Suk-Kyun Yang, Jeong Yun Park, Sang Hyoung Park; Ewha Med J 2022;45(2):35-45. Published online April 30, 2022; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12771/emj.2022.45.2.35

Abstract
PDF

ABSTRACT Objectives:

It is important that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients adhere to their prescribed medication regimens to avoid the repeat exacerbations, complications, or surgeries associated with this disorder. However, there are few studies on medication adherence in patients with IBD, especially in Asian populations. So, we analyzed the factors associated with medication adherence in Korean IBD patients.

Methods:

Patients who had been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) more than 6 months previously and receiving oral medications for IBD were enrolled. Medication adherence was measured using the Medical Adherence Reporting Scale (MARS-5), a self-reported medication adherence measurement tool.

Results:

Among 207 patients in the final study population, 125 (60.4%) had CD and 134 (64.7%) were men. The mean age was 39.63 years (SD, 13.16 years) and the mean disease duration was 10.09 years (SD, 6.33 years). The mean medication adherence score was 22.46 (SD, 2.86) out of 25, and 181 (87.4%) patients had score of 20 or higher. In multiple linear regression analysis, self-efficacy (β=0.341, P<0.001) and ≥3 dosing per day (β=-0.192 P=0.016) were revealed to be significant factors associated with medication adherence. Additionally, there was a positive correlation between self-efficacy and medication adherence (r=0.312, P<0.001). However, disease related knowledge, depression, and anxiety were not significantly associated with medication adherence.

Conclusion:

To improve medication adherence among patients with IBD, a reduction in the number of doses per day and an improved self-efficacy will be helpful. (Ewha Med J 2022;45(2):35-45)