title: Drug compliance among hypertensive patients in Kassala, eastern Sudan.
abstract: A cross-sectional study of hypertensive patients was conducted and drug compliance was estimated. Factors associated with compliance, status of blood pressure control and occurrence of complications were assessed. Compliance was 59.6% as measured with the pill count method. We found 92% of compliant patients had controlled blood pressure in comparison with 18% of non-compliant patients, and 30.1% of the compliant patients had complications in comparison with 46.3% of the non-compliant patients. While the compliance rate was reasonable, 36.8% of patients were non-compliant because they could not afford to buy antihypertensive drugs. Inability to buy drugs was negatively and significantly associated with compliance. These patients experienced uncontrolled blood pressure and other complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, King Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Elzubier
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Husain
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Suleiman
authors.forename: Z A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Hamid
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016527:Drug Costs; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008489:Medical Indigency / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013397:Sudan; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents