Measurement Tools and Utility of Hair Analysis for Screening Adherence to Antihypertensive Medication
Jyoti R. Sharma,
Phiwayinkosi V. Dludla,
Girish Dwivedi,
Rabia Johnson
Affiliations
Jyoti R. Sharma
Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg 7505
Phiwayinkosi V. Dludla
Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg 7505
Girish Dwivedi
Medical School, University of Western Australia, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Sciences, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Verdun Street, Nedlands WA, 6009
Rabia Johnson
Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg 7505; Centre for Cardio-Metabolic Research in Africa, Division of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg 7505
Poor adherence to the prescribed antihypertensive therapy is an understated public health problem and is one of the main causes of the high prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa. Medication adherence is vital for the effectiveness of antihypertensive treatment and is key to ameliorating the clinical outcomes in hypertensive patients. However, it has often been ignored because the current methods used to assess medication adherence are not reliable, limiting their utilization in clinical practice. Therefore, the identification of the most accurate and clinically feasible method for measuring medication adherence is critical for tailoring effective strategies to improve medication adherence and consequently achieve blood pressure goals. This review not only explores various available methods for estimating medication adherence but also proposes therapeutic drug monitoring in hair for the measurement of medication adherence to the antihypertensive medication period.
