Medication adherence in hypertension

J Hypertens. 2020 Apr;38(4):579-587. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000002294.

Abstract

: Suboptimal adherence to antihypertensive medication is a major contributor to poor blood pressure control. Several methods, direct or indirect, are available for measuring adherence, including the recently developed biochemical screening, although there is no gold-standard method routinely used in clinical practice to accurately assess the different facets of adherence. Adherence to treatment is a complex phenomenon and several of the barriers to adherence will need to be addressed at the healthcare system level; however, when looking at adherence from a more practical side and from the practitioner's perspective, the patient-practitioner relationship is a key element both in detecting adherence and in attempting to choose interventions tailored to the patient's profile. The use of single-pill combinations enabling simplification of treatment regimen, the implementation of a collaborative team-based approach and the development of electronic health tools also hold promise for improving adherence, and thus impacting cardiovascular outcomes and healthcare costs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antihypertensive Agents / pharmacology
  • Antihypertensive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / drug therapy*
  • Medication Adherence*

Substances

  • Antihypertensive Agents