Estella M Davis, Kathleen A Packard, Cynthia A Jackevicius

Heart failure is one of the most common reasons for hospital admissions in patients aged 65 years and older, with an estimated 1 million hospitalizations annually. In 2010, health care expenditures for heart failure were estimated to be $32 billion. Nonadherence to medications and lifestyle contributes to hospital admissions in up to one-third of patients. Efforts to reduce readmissions are of critical importance. Pharmacist involvement in the management of heart failure patients has been shown to reduce heart failure hospitalizations, with trends towards a reduction in mortality. Literature is scarce on instruments that clinicians can use to identify patients at risk for medication nonadherence.