Is interview a reliable method to verify the compliance with antihypertensive therapy? An international central-European study.
BACKGROUND
Non-compliance with prescribed antihypertensive medication is an important contributor to the failure of antihypertensive therapy.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the validity of a short questionnaire in the identification of non-compliant patients.


METHODS
In three central-European countries, work-site screening for hypertension was conducted. Blood pressure was measured using an automatic electronic blood pressure measuring device (BpTRU). Respondents were interviewed by trained personnel and a short questionnaire focused on blood pressure awareness and treatment compliance was completed.


RESULTS
A total of 2812 persons were screened: 841(29.9%) respondents were hypertensive, and out of these the total number of treated hypertensive subjects was 359 (42.6%). Mean systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were significantly lower in the compliant group than the non-compliant group (systolic blood pressure, 139.4 and 146.2 mmHg, respectively, P = 0.002; and diastolic blood pressure, 89.2 and 92.3 mmHg, respectively, P < 0.01). The non-compliant group was younger than the compliant group (mean age, 46.7 versus 48.9 years, respectively, P = 0.01). Females, patients on combined therapy and non-smokers were more compliant than males, those on mono-therapy and smokers (P = 0.01, P = 0.004 and P = 0.005, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients reporting strict compliance with prescribed drug therapy have significantly lower systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure than those who admit even an occasional lapse in taking medication. A properly formulated questionnaire can identify non-compliant patients.
Fodor
George J
GJ
Prevention and Rehabilitation Centre, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. gfodor@ottawaheart.ca
Kotrec
Marian
M
Bacskai
Kinga
K
Dorner
Thomas
T
Lietava
Jan
J
Sonkodi
Sandor
S
Rieder
Anita
A
Turton
Penelope
P
D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001317:Austria; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018154:Slovakia; D012907:Smoking; D017132:Workplace
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents