[Noncompliance with drug therapy for glaucoma].
BACKGROUND
The treatment of glaucoma is made initially with the use of eyedrops, with the purpose to decrease intraocular pressure and to minimize the damages to the optic nerve. The lack of compliance with drug therapy can be influenced by factors related to patients, doctors and medicines.


OBJECTIVE
To estimate the rate of noncompliance with the treatment with antiglaucoma eyedrops and to verify the intervenience of possible factors for noncompliance.


METHODS
A study of the transversal type was carried out, in the Ophthalmologic Clinic of the Hospital Governador Israel Pinheiro, in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. Questionnaires were applied to 102 glaucoma patients to collect information about the level of noncompliance and the intervenience of possible factors for noncompliance with drug therapy.


RESULTS
The rate of noncompliance was 21.5%. The factors: not using the eyedrops due to money shortage (p=0.035) and accomplishment of corrective surgery (p=0.049), significantly contributed to noncompliance.


CONCLUSIONS
More than one fifth of the glaucoma patients does not follow the drug treatment in an adequate way. Donation of eyedrops to all the glaucoma patients without favorable economic conditions, governmental actions for the reduction of the prices of the eyedrops, information on the continuity of the use of the eyedrops after the accomplishment of corrective surgeries would help to decrease the rates of noncompliance.
Clínica Oftalmológica do Hospital Israel Pinheiro, Instituto de Previdência dos Servidores de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.
Aldemar Nemesio Brandão Vilela de
AN
Castro
Wander Araújo
WA
Mesquita
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013999:Timolol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016903:Drug Monitoring
D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D013999:Timolol