Variation in medication adherence in heart failure.

Although recent studies have demonstrated geographic variation in pharmaceutical use and spending,1–4 regional variation in medication adherence in Medicare has not been explored.5 Medication adherence is a critical quality measure, and is especially important for Medicare beneficiaries with heart failure (HF), a common condition where medications can save lives and reduce downstream costs.6 We used 2007–2009 national Part D data for a 5% random sample of Medicare beneficiaries to study regional variation in HF medication adherence.