The Problem of Compliance with Antihypertensive Regimens

Lack of compliance with prescribed antihypertensive regimens is the major reason why only 20% of hypertensives are found to have adequate blood pressure control on community surveys. Research during the last few years has led to the development and testing of several simple techniques that can be applied to the detection and improvement of compliance at the primary care level. Low compliance can be detected by routine monitoring of attendance and response to therapy coupled with asking patients directly about their compliance. The keys to improving low compliance include vigorous follow-up of patients who miss appointments, increasing attention to and supervision of low compilers through more frequent appointments and recruitment of other health professionals and the patient’s family, and encouraging the patient to take an active role in his own therapy, using such measures as home self-monitoring of blood pressure.