Therapeutic adherence and knowledge on hypertension in a sample of adult patients

Abstract

Introduction: In developed countries, the rates of adherence to treatments in chronic diseases are around 50 %. Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic adherence and the knowledge on hypertension in adult patients. Methods: An observational and analytic investigation of 54 adult patients of both sexes , who attended the out-patient service ofJoaquínAlbarránDomínguezTeachingClinicalSurgicalHospital inHavanaCity was carried out during the first trimester of 2018. Among the analyzed variables there were: age, sex, treatment, degree of therapeutic adherence and knowledge. Results: The female sex (53.7 %), the age group 51-64 years (42.6 %) and the use of antihypertensive drugs, such as enalapril (50.0 %) and captopril (24.0 %); among the diuretics, the clortalidona (44.4 %) in treatments combined with 37.0 %, prevailed. The used combinations were enalapril/clortalidona (16.7 %) and captopril/clortalidona (13.0 %). The knowledge on their disease was not satisfactory (51.9 %); the therapeutic adherence took place in 48.0 % of those affected, being the most frequent factors the negligence on time (50.0 %) and forgetting (42.9 %). Among the factors related to the non adherence the polypharmacy prevailed (83.3 %) followed by the difficulties in obtaining of the medication (72.2 %). Conclusions: The therapeutic adherence in patients with hypertension was low and there was no statistical relation with the knowledge on their disease.

Keywords

• adherencia terapéutica
• hipertensión arterial
• test de morisky-green
• test de batalla.