Assesment of adherence to therapeutic recommendations among patients with hypertension

Abstract

Abstract Hypertension is a multifactorial condition involving environmental and genetic factors along with risk behaviors. Data from the National Health Fund show that nearly 10 million adult Poles have hypertension. The main goal of drug therapy is to effectively lower blood pressure to normal or near-normal values, and the basic prerequisite for effective pharmacotherapy of chronic diseases is patient adherence to pharmacological recommendations. Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the level of adherence to treatment recommendations among patients with hypertension with regard to sociodemographic and medical variables. Methods This survey-based study included 200 patients with hypertension, hospitalized in the Department of Cardiology with the Intensive Cardiac Care Unit of an Independent Public Clinical Hospital. The author’s questionnaire and The Adherence to Refills and Medication Scale (ARMS) were used as research instruments. Results The study demonstrated the effect of age and place of residence on adherence to treatment recommendations (the older the age, the worse the adherence). The overall level of non-adherence to recommendations (ARMS total score), and the level of non-adherence to taking medications or refilling prescriptions were significantly higher in patients with than without diabetes, and in patients without heart failure than in those with this condition. Conclusion Adherence among patients diagnosed with hypertension was at a good level. Age, employment status, place of residence, and diagnosed diseases (diabetes, heart failure) significantly affected adherence to treatment among the subjects.Table1