The Impact of Medication Adherence and Depression on Stroke Recurrence in Post-Stroke Patients at Taman Husada Regional General Hospital
Abstract
Patient compliance in adhering to stroke treatment recommendations becomes one of the factors influencing the occurrence of recurrent strokes. Depression in post-stroke patients inhibits functional brain recovery, increases the potential for recurrent strokes, lowers the quality of life, and raises the risk of death compared to patients without depression. The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between drug therapy compliance and the level of depression on the occurrence of recurrent strokes in post-stroke patients. This cross-sectional study involved 60 patients aged between 30 and 85 years, all undergoing outpatient stroke treatment at a hospital in Indonesia. Recurrent stroke incidents were defined as experiencing a secondary stroke within 30 days after the initial stroke occurrence. Out of the total participants, 12 individuals had experienced recurrent strokes after their initial episode, while 48 patients had not experienced recurrent strokes up to the point of data collection. Medication adherence data were evaluated using the MMAS-8 (Morisky Medication Adherence Scale), and depression levels were measured using the PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9). The research results show that in the post-stroke patient group, the level of patient adherence is high at 41.7%, and in the recurrent stroke group, the level of patient adherence is moderate at 41.7%. Meanwhile, in the post-stroke patient group, the dominant depression level is low (50%), while in the recurrent stroke group, the dominant depression level is mild, followed by severe depression. The analysis indicates that medication adherence is not associated with stroke recurrence, while depression is related to stroke recurrence with an OR value of 2.060, p <0.05. Further research on more efficient monitoring methods and proper depression management is recommended to reduce the risk of stroke recurrence.
References
Salvadori E, Papi G, Insalata G, et al. Comparison Between Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Strokes in Functional Outcome at Discharge From an Intensive Rehabilitation Hospital. Diagnostics. 2021;11(1). doi:10.3390/diagnostics11010038
Feigin VL, Brainin M, Norrving B, et al. World Stroke Organization (WSO): Global Stroke Fact Sheet 2022. Int J Stroke. 2022;17(1):18-29. doi:10.1177/17474930211065917
Syarfaini, Nildawati, Aeni S, Surahmawati, Adha AS, Amansyah M. Risk factors preparation of stroke incidence in health institution employees who check up at the Health Service EXPO Event Indonesia. Gac Sanit. 2021;35:S49-S52. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaceta.2020.12.014
Kemenkes RI. Basic Health Research 2018. Kementrian Kesehat RI. 2018;53(9):1689-1699.
Kern KC, Crossley A, Wu N, Mun KT, Dergalust S, Hinman JD. Suboptimal medication possession ratio is associated with recurrent ischemic stroke in a veteran population. J stroke Cerebrovasc Dis Off J Natl Stroke Assoc. 2025;34(4):108257. doi:10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2025.108257
Yeo SH, Toh MPHS, Lee SH, Seet RCS, Wong LY, Yau WP. Impact of medication nonadherence on stroke recurrence and mortality in patients after first-ever ischemic stroke: Insights from registry data in Singapore. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2020;29(5):538-549. doi:10.1002/pds.4981
Dalli LL, Kim J, Cadilhac DA, et al. Greater Adherence to Secondary Prevention Medications Improves Survival After Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack: A Linked Registry Study. Stroke. 2021;52(11):3569-3577. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.033133
Cengiz KN, Midi I, Sancar M. The effect of clinical pharmacist-led pharmaceutical care services on medication adherence, clinical outcomes and quality of life in patients with stroke: a randomised controlled trial. Int J Clin Pharm. 2025;47(1):99-106. doi:10.1007/s11096-024-01811-0
Medeiros GC, Roy D, Kontos N, Beach SR. Post-stroke Depression: A 2020 Updated Review. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2020;66:70-80. doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2020.06.011
Kowalska K, Krzywoszański Ł, Droś J, Pasińska P, Wilk A, Klimkowicz-Mrowiec A. Early depression independently of other neuropsychiatric conditions, influences disability and mortality after stroke (Research study—part of propolis study). Biomedicines. 2020;8(11):1-16. doi:10.3390/biomedicines8110509
Facucho-Oliveira J, Esteves-Sousa D, Espada-Santos P, et al. Depression after stroke. Pract Neurol. 2021;21(5):384-391. doi:10.1136/practneurol-2020-002622
Sharma GS, Gupta A, Khanna M, Prakash NB. Post-Stroke Depression and Its Effect on Functional Outcomes during Inpatient Rehabilitation. J Neurosci Rural Pract. 2021;12(3):543-549. doi:10.1055/s-0041-1731958
Liu L, Marshall IJ, Bhalla A, Wolfe C, O’Connell MD, Wang Y. Associations between depression and mortality up to 15-years after stroke: a population-based cohort study. Lancet. 2024;404:S75. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(24)02035-x
Cheon DY, Park YM, Park MS, et al. Depression and risk of stroke and mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention: A nationwide population study. J Intern Med. 2024;296(6):468-480. doi:10.1111/joim.20018
Xie ZL, Wang CC, Huang X, Wang Z, Shangguan HY, Wang SH. Prevalence and Risk Factors of Stroke in Inpatients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in China. Curr Med Sci. 2024;44(4):698-706. doi:10.1007/s11596-024-2911-1
Gorelick PB, Whelton PK, Sorond F, Carey RM. Blood Pressure Management in Stroke. Hypertension. 2020;76(6):1688-1695. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.14653
Funakoshi S, Kawazoe M, Tada K, Abe M, Arima H. Blood Pressure Lowering for the Secondary Prevention of Stroke. Cardiol Discov. 2022;2(1):51-57. doi:10.1097/CD9.0000000000000048
Kitagawa K. Blood pressure management for secondary stroke prevention. Hypertens Res. 2022;45(6):936-943. doi:10.1038/s41440-022-00908-1
Saade S, Kobeissy R, Sandakli S, et al. Medication adherence for secondary stroke prevention and its barriers among lebanese survivors: A cross-sectional study. Clin Epidemiol Glob Heal. 2021;9(August 2020):338-346. doi:10.1016/j.cegh.2020.10.007
Shani SD, Sylaja PN, Sankara Sarma P, Raman Kutty V. Facilitators and barriers to medication adherence among stroke survivors in India. J Clin Neurosci. 2021;88:185-190. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocn.2021.03.019
Dalli LL, Olaiya MT, Kim J, et al. Antihypertensive Medication Adherence and the Risk of Vascular Events and Falls after Stroke: A Real-World Effectiveness Study Using Linked Registry Data. Hypertension. 2023;80(1):182-191. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.122.19883
Sakr F, Dabbous M, Akel M, Salameh P, Hosseini H. Adherence to Post-Stroke Pharmacotherapy: Scale Validation and Correlates among a Sample of Stroke Survivors. Med. 2022;58(8):1-15. doi:10.3390/medicina58081109
Hoarau D, Ramos I, Termoz A, et al. Determinants of adherence to post-stroke/transient ischemic attack secondary prevention medications: A cohort study. Eur J Neurol. 2024;31(10):1-10. doi:10.1111/ene.16395
Norberg H, Sjölander M, Glader EL, Gustafsson M. Self-reported medication adherence and pharmacy refill adherence among persons with ischemic stroke: a cross-sectional study. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2022;78(5):869-877. doi:10.1007/s00228-022-03284-4
Kanumuri M, Khan A, Neshat A, et al. Comparison of Risk of Stroke in Patients With and Without Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cureus. 2024;16(1):1-9. doi:10.7759/cureus.53057
Ece Çetin F, Kumral E, Saffet Gönül A, Nezih Özdemir H, Orman M. Effıcacy of cıtalopram on stroke recurrence: A randomızed clınıcal trıal. J Clin Neurosci Off J Neurosurg Soc Australas. 2022;101:168-174. doi:10.1016/j.jocn.2022.05.014
Sivolap YP, Damulin I V. [Stroke and depression]. Zhurnal Nevrol i psikhiatrii Im SS Korsakova. 2020;119(9):143-147. doi:10.17116/jnevro2019119091143
Liu L, Marshall IJ, Pei R, et al. Natural history of depression up to 18 years after stroke: a population-based South London Stroke Register study. Lancet Reg Heal - Eur. 2024;40. doi:10.1016/j.lanepe.2024.100882
Mu J, Ravindran A V., Cuijpers P, et al. Stroke depression: a concept with clinical applicability. Stroke Vasc Neurol. 2023;9(3):189-193. doi:10.1136/svn-2022-002146
Copyright (c) 2025 Lailla Affianti Fauzi, Wara Kushartanti, Novita Intan Arovah, Fauzi, Regina Maria, Adliah Anwar6, Decyta Khairun Nisa

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.