[Therapy and compliance in angina pectoris--analysis of a physician and patient survey]

Positive compliance is essential for the successful treatment of coronary heart disease. To study the reasons for non-compliance of patients with angina pectoris 50 patients out of a sample of 2000 persons were recruited. Randomized telephone-calls were used. The 50 angina pectoris patients were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Another questionnaire was sent to all general practitioners and specialists for internal diseases in Austria. 675 doctors replied. The responding physicians reported a 68.9% positive compliance of the patients to pharmaceutical treatment of angina pectoris. Nevertheless most of the physicians believe that about half of the patients sometimes forget to take their medicine or change their therapeutic scheme or don't take the prescribed drugs if they have no symptoms. Patients suffering from angina pectoris confirm compliance problems, but significantly less often than doctors.