Federal Study of Adherence to Medications in the Elderly (FAME)
![]() |
The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details. |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00393419 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : October 27, 2006
Last Update Posted : October 27, 2006
|
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Medication Adherence Hypertension Hyperlipidemia | Behavioral: Comprehensive pharmacy care program | Not Applicable |
Poor medication adherence is prevalent, difficult to manage, and diminishes the health benefits of pharmacotherapies. Elderly patients with coronary risk factors frequently require treatment with multiple medications which places them at increased risk for medication nonadherence. Effective strategies to improve adherence in the elderly are lacking, and improved health outcomes in this population have not been demonstrated.
Objective: We tested the efficacy of a comprehensive pharmacy care program including patient education and an adherence aid (medications custom-packaged in blister packs) to improve medication adherence and its associated effects on blood pressure and low density lipoprotein cholesterol.
This is a Multi-phase, prospective observational and randomized controlled trial. We enrolled community-based patients aged ≥ 65 years old taking ≥ 4 chronic medications per day.
Intervention: After a 2-month run-in phase during which baseline medication adherence (via pill counts), blood pressure, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were measured, participants entered a 6-month intervention phase during which standardized medication education and regular follow-up by a clinical pharmacist was provided and medications were dispensed in daily, time-specific blister packs. Following the intervention phase, participants were randomized to continued pharmacy care/blister packs versus usual care (return to their original method of medication administration) for an additional 6 months.
Main Outcome Measures: The primary endpoint of the observation phase was the change in the proportion of pills taken compared to baseline; secondary endpoints were the associated changes in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and blood pressure. The primary endpoint of the randomized trial was the between-group comparison of medication persistence analyzed according to intention to treat.
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Enrollment : | 200 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | None (Open Label) |
Primary Purpose: | Educational/Counseling/Training |
Official Title: | Federal Study of Adherence to Medications in the Elderly (FAME) |
Study Start Date : | June 2004 |
Study Completion Date : | August 2006 |

- Change in proportion of pills taken compared to baseline (0-2months) at 8months
- Between-group comparison of medication persistence at 14months
- Change in blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol at 8months

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
Ages Eligible for Study: | 65 Years and older (Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- 65 years or older taking 4 or more chronic medications independently living
Exclusion Criteria:
- assisted living or nursing home residents presence of any serious medical condition for which 1-year survival was expected to be unlikely

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00393419
United States, District of Columbia | |
Walter Reed Army Medical Center | |
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, 20307 |
Study Director: | Allen J Taylor, MD | Walter Reed Army Medical Center | |
Principal Investigator: | Jeannie K Lee, Pharm.D | Walter Reed Army Medical Center |
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT00393419 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
04-36002 |
First Posted: | October 27, 2006 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | October 27, 2006 |
Last Verified: | October 2006 |
hypertension hyperlipidemia adherence |
pharmacist elderly medication |
Hypertension Hyperlipidemias Hyperlipoproteinemias Vascular Diseases |
Cardiovascular Diseases Dyslipidemias Lipid Metabolism Disorders Metabolic Diseases |