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Generic drugs made by different manufacturers vary in color and shape, and patients switching among them may become confused and stop taking their medications. In a recent study, researchers assessed whether discontinuation of generic cardiovascular drugs among patients after myocardial infarction (MI) was associated with inconsistent pill appearance.
Claims data from a commercial health insurer in the U.S. yielded 11,513 patients (72% men; mean age, 57.7) who initiated treatment with a generic drug (a beta-blocker, an angiotensin-converting–enzyme [ACE] inhibitor or angiotensin-receptor blocker [ARB], or a statin) within 90 days of hospital discharge for acute MI. Forty-seven percent of these patients newly filled a prescription in one of t…