Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Digital Home-Monitoring of Patients after Kidney Transplantation: The MACCS Platform
07:13

Digital Home-Monitoring of Patients after Kidney Transplantation: The MACCS Platform

Published on: April 12, 2021

Factors influencing medication adherence in patients with heart failure

Jia-Rong Wu1, Debra K Moser, Terry A Lennie

  • 1College of Nursing, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536-0232, USA.

Heart & Lung : the Journal of Critical Care
|January 22, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Understanding heart failure (HF) medication adherence is key. Patients adhere best when they connect their health goals with treatment effectiveness and rely on social support and environmental cues for habit formation.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Heart failure (HF) presents significant challenges to patient adherence.
  • Understanding factors influencing adherence is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore factors influencing adherence to prescribed medical regimens in heart failure patients.

Main Methods:

  • In-depth interviews with 16 heart failure patients (7 women, 9 men).
  • Audio-taped interviews were transcribed and analyzed using content analysis strategies.

Main Results:

  • Primary motivator for adherence: desire to be healthy.
  • Enhanced adherence through connecting illness knowledge, symptoms, and medication effectiveness.
  • Social connections (healthcare provider, family) and environmental cues (reminders) improved adherence.
  • Development of a daily medication use habit.

Conclusions:

  • Patient education on illness, symptoms, and medication benefits can promote adherence.
  • Positive healthcare provider relationships are linked to improved treatment adherence.
Abstract

Related Concept Videos

Heart Failure V: Medical Management01:30

Heart Failure V: Medical Management

Medical Management of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure (ADHF)The primary goals of therapy for patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) include:Relieving symptomsOptimizing volume statusSupporting oxygenation and ventilationMaintaining cardiac output (CO) and end-organ perfusionIdentifying and addressing the cause of ADHFPreventing complicationsProviding patient education on factors precipitating HF exacerbationPlanning for dischargeOngoing monitoring and assessment...
Heart Failure VI: Adjunct Therapies01:22

Heart Failure VI: Adjunct Therapies

Additional therapies for treating patients with heart failure (HF) may include procedural interventions, supplemental oxygen, the management of sleep disorders, and nutritional therapy.Procedural InterventionsImplantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator: For patients at risk of life-threatening arrhythmias due to severe left ventricular dysfunction, an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) can detect and terminate these arrhythmias, preventing sudden cardiac death and improving survival rates.
Heart Failure VII: Nursing Interventions01:30

Heart Failure VII: Nursing Interventions

The first step in nursing management of a patient with heart failure involves thoroughly assessing the patient's medical history.Subjective Data: Obtain the patient's medical history of coronary artery disease, hypertension, myocardial infarction, and symptoms like dyspnea, orthopnea, and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea.Objective Data: Conduct a physical examination to identify findings such as jugular vein distention, pulmonary crackles, tachycardia, murmurs, peripheral edema, and vital signs,...
Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System01:26

Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System

The activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) contributes to cardiac remodeling, and inhibiting the RAAS is a pharmacological target in heart failure management. As a result, neurohumoral modulation is a crucial treatment principle for managing heart failure. This approach involves using medications like ACE inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), β-blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), and neutral...
Pathophysiology of Heart Failure01:17

Pathophysiology of Heart Failure

Heart failure (HF) is a progressive syndrome involving ventricles that leads to inadequate cardiac output. It can be classified based on location and output or ejection fraction. Ejection fraction (EF) is an essential measurement in the diagnosis and surveillance of HF. Reduced EF corresponds to systolic heart failure (HFrEF). However, HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is becoming increasingly prevalent. Also known as diastolic HF, this form of HF is related to aging. The...
Heart Failure Drugs: β-Blockers01:22

Heart Failure Drugs: β-Blockers

β-adrenergic antagonists, commonly known as β-blockers, block the effects of sympathetic neurotransmitters such as noradrenaline (NA) and adrenaline (ADR). They have several beneficial effects in heart failure treatment. They reduce heart rate, the force of contraction, and cardiac muscle relaxation. They also slow the atrial-ventricular conduction rate and raise the threshold for arrhythmias. The concentration of β-blockers determines their effects on bronchodilation, vasodilation, and...