Factors that interfere the medication compliance in hypertensive patients

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Pharmacology
• Public Health

Background:

• Arterial hypertension is a prevalent chronic condition requiring long-term drug therapy.
• Patient compliance with prescribed medication regimens is critical for effective blood pressure control and preventing complications.
• Identifying factors influencing adherence is essential for developing targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize factors affecting drug treatment compliance in patients with arterial hypertension.
• To assess the prevalence of insufficient compliance in this patient group.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive, non-experimental study was conducted with 80 patients diagnosed with arterial hypertension.
• Data were collected using the Instrument for Evaluation of Attitudes Regarding Taking Medication.
• The study took place in a university hospital between March and May 2009.

Main Results:

• 45.1% of the studied population demonstrated sufficient compliance with drug therapy.
• Positive compliance was associated with controlled blood pressure, female gender, white ethnicity, and various marital statuses (single, married, widowed).
• Factors such as retirement and specific age groups (40-59 years, and above 80 years) were also linked to better compliance.

Conclusions:

• Despite more facilitating factors than complicating ones, over half of the surveyed patients exhibited insufficient compliance with hypertension medication.
• There is a clear need for further research to identify specific factors impacting compliance.
• Interventions should focus on promoting patient autonomy, acceptance, awareness, and adaptation to their illness to improve adherence.