A study about drug compliance among hypertensive patients attending assiut university hospitals

Abstract EN

High blood pressure is a significant public health problem in many countries.

It is one of the major risk factors for coronary heart diseases and the most important risk factor for cerebrovascular diseases.

Compliance with antihypertensive medication involves not only taking the prescribed medication but also adherence to follow up appointments and maintaining the recommended life style modifications.

The aim of the present study was to determine: I) the factors associated with drug non compliance and follow up among hypertensive patients attending Assiut University Hospitals, 2) the possible relationship between demographic, associated factors and patients" compliance to treatment and 3) to assess the patients" knowledge concerning hypertension and its consequences.

The studied sample included 203 hypertensive patients attended the outpatient clinic of Assiut University Hospitals from April to June 2003.

Data collection was conducted using structural interview questionnaire.

Only 61.6% of the hypertensive patients were compliant to treatment of hypertension.

Over two thirds of the patients had either poor or no knowledge of normal blood pressure range, predisposing factors, symptoms and signs and complications of hypertension.

46.3% of included patients had problems in compliance to treatment as remembering, cost of treatment or side effects of medication and 58.5% of them were not compliant to treatment compared to 21.1% of those who had no such problems (P<0.001).

57.6% of patients had difficulties in follow up and 45.3% of them were not compliant to treatment compared to 29.1% of those who had no difficulties (p<0.05).

Poor compliance was associated with severe hypertension, increased number and side effects of medications as well as difficulties in follow up.

Various strategies were recommended in order to improve patient compliance, including health educational programs, self-measurement of blood pressure and monitoring of compliance.

All methods may be helpful to encourage the patient to take the prescribed medication regularly.

It is also important to find a drug regimen, which is at the same efficacious and well tolerated with minimum side effect.

Finally it should be pointed out that the motivation of patient to follow the treatment requires the nurse and doctor.