Asthma, drug medication and noncompliance.
According to the new concepts, asthma is a chronic disease of the upper respiratory tracts, caused by different cells, including the mastocits and eozinofils. The patients that are suffering from episodic, frequent, or chronic asthma are participating very energetic in the treatment--they have to know and control the symptoms of their disease and also to possess technical skills to perform the treatment.


METHODS
Between March 1 and July 31, 1999, 30 patients [19 women and 11 men, mean age 35 years (range 2.50 to 65)], followed at the Clinic for Allergic Diseases of the University hospital "Aleksandrovska", Medical University of Sofia, Bulgaria, were interviewed blindly in order to assess their compliance with pharmacologic therapy. All patients were suffering from different types of asthma.


RESULTS
The level of compliance among the studied group of patients is 86%. In comparison with the literary data where the level of non-compliance is 20% the obtained level is lower--14%. The reasons for non-compliance according to the patients are: the appearance of ADRs, the high prize of the drugs, the hard application of the drug form.
Petkova
V
V
Department of Social Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Dimitrova
Zl
Z
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016527:Drug Costs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016312:Treatment Refusal
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents