Compliance to antihypertensive treatment and causes of partial or poor compliance in patients attending ali-kamal consultation center in suliamania

ABSTRACT

Hypertension is common chronic disease, its prevalence increases with age, the goal of treating hypertension is to control blood pressure below the target level [140/90 mm Hg]. Poor or non compliance is one of the biggest and modifiable obstacles in controlling high blood pressure. Descriptive study was conducted on a 418 hypertensive patients at Ali Kamal consultation clinics in Suliamania city, from 3[rd] May 2008 to 2[nf] July 2008. During interview questionnaires were used to evaluate patient's compliance. SPSS version 13 was used for analysis. In studied sample [30.4%] were males and [69.6%] were females, the mean age +/- SD [58 +/- 10]. Compliance to antihypertensive treatments was [58%], Fair compliance [30%], and poor compliance [12%]. Significant association [P<0.05] were found between good compliance and older age, Unemployed 353 [84.4%], longer duration of hypertension 221[52.9%], doing follow up in private clinics 37[69.8%], Depending on both Governmental and private pharmacy to get medications 206[52.4%], knowledge of patient and home blood pressure checking 90[73.2%]. While gender, illiterate 263[62.9], medium economic state 294 [70.3], positive family history of hypertension 250[59.8], No previous hospital admission 261 [62.4] and number of prescribed drugs do not affect compliance [P>0.05]. Younger age, poor hypertension awareness and employment adversely affect compliance to antihypertensive medication. Regular blood pressure checking in-creases compliance, while numbers of drugs and gender not affect compliance rate