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Study Objective. To measure the extent of cardiovascular morbidity associated with nonadherence to 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor (statin) therapy.

Design. Retrospective cohort study

Data Source. Linked administrative health databases in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Patients. A total of 1221 patients aged 30–70 years who received a new prescription for a statin drug between 1994 and 2001, within 1 year of their first cardiovascular event (i.e., myocardial infarction, unstable angina, ischemic stroke, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty [PTCA], or coronary artery bypass graft [CABG]).

Measurements and Main Results. Adherence was measured by the fill frequency (number of prescriptions filled during the observation period divided by months of observation). Patients with a fill frequency of 80% or greater were classified as adherent (661 patients); those with a fill frequency of …