Abstract

VIVEROS, Guiomar et al. Characterization of patients not adherent to high blood pressure treatment. Rev. cient. cienc. salud [online]. 2023, vol.5, e5124.  Epub Nov 17, 2023. ISSN 2664-2891.  https://doi.org/10.53732/rccsalud/2023.e5124.

Introduction. The lack of therapeutic compliance is a problem to control high blood pressure. Objective. To characterize patients who do not adhere to the treatment of arterial hypertension in the V sanitary region of Paraguay. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in known hypertensive patients who were undergoing treatment for high blood pressure. The 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale was used, which measures specific adherence behaviors associated with medication intake. Results. 163 patients were included, all considered non-adherent to treatment according to the Morinsky MMAS-8 Scale. 52.2% were over 40 years old, 66.3% female, 40.5% with university level, 57.1% married, and 87.7% lived with their family. 66.9% reported working up to 8 hours per day and 58.3% with income greater than 2 minimum wages. Regarding knowledge, 53.9% was high. 50% of the patients declared using medicinal plants for their treatment, 7.4% with depression frequently or almost always and 22.1% with anxiety frequently or almost always. Regarding the non-adherence questions, 53.4% ever forgot to take their medication or stopped taking it when they feel they are under control (53.3%), 44.2% stop taking their medication because they feel worse with it and 46.5% forget it when traveling. Conclusion. The non-adherence in patients from Region V was alarming, therefore, action measures must be taken regarding them.

Keywords : hypertension; blood pressure; treatment adherence and compliance; epidemiology.

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