Impact of Interventions on Medication Adherence in Patients With Coexisting Diabetes and Hypertension

The coexistence of diabetes and hypertension is prevalent due to shared risk factors. Pharmacological treatment has been reported to be effective in managing both conditions. However, treatment effectiveness depends on the extent to which a patient adheres to their treatment. Poor adherence to long-term treatment for chronic diseases is a growing global problem of significant magnitude. Several interventions have been developed to help improve medication adherence in patients with coexisting diabetes and hypertension. This review aimed to determine the characteristics of these interventions and their impact on medication adherence.

A systematic review of the literature was conducted using the PRISMA guidelines and registered in the PROSPERO International Registry of Systematic Reviews. Studies were searched in the databases CINAHL, Embase and Medline to identify relevant articles published during 2012-2023. The search concepts included 'medication adherence', 'hypertension', 'diabetes' and 'intervention'. Studies were included if they were in English and evaluated the impact of an intervention aimed at promoting adherence to medications for both diabetes and hypertension.

Seven studies met the inclusion criteria, with five demonstrating a statistically significant improvement in medication adherence. Of the five studies that improved medication adherence, four were multifaceted and one was a single-component intervention. All successful interventions addressed at least two factors influencing non-adherence. Patient education was the foundation of most of the successful interventions, supported by other strategies, such as follow-ups and reminders.

Multifaceted interventions that also included patient education had a positive impact on medication adherence in patients with coexisting diabetes and hypertension. Improving adherence in patients with coexisting diabetes and hypertension requires a multipronged approach that considers the range of factors impacting medication-taking.

This systematic review provides comprehensive insights into the benefits of patient-centred approaches in intervention development and strengthening. Such patient involvement ensures that medication adherence interventions are more relevant, acceptable and effective, ultimately leading to better health outcomes and more meaningful patient engagement in healthcare research.