title: [Non-pharmacological intervention as a strategy to improve antihypertensive treatment compliance].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of an intervention by means of an educational magazine on treatment compliance in uncontrolled arterial hypertension (AHT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Controlled, randomised clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  87 primary care centres. Spain.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 450 patients with uncontrolled hypertension were included.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two groups of 225 patients were formed: 1) Control group (CG): standard health intervention; 2) Intervention Group (IG): received a twice monthly educational magazine at home.
  
  
  METHODS
  Compliance was measured using the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS-Aardex). Compliance rate (CR) was recorded. Compliers were defined as individuals with a treatment compliance of 80-110%. The percentage of compliers, the mean percentage of doses taken and the percentage of patients taking the medication at the correct times were estimated. The mean blood pressures (BPs) and the percentage of controlled patientswere calculated. The number needed to treat (NNT) was calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 393 individuals were evaluable (Age: 62.4 years), 196 in the IG and 197 in the CG. There were 83.2% (95% CI 78-88.4) and 49.2% (95% CI 42.2-56.2) (P=0.0001) of overall compliers in the IG and CG, respectively and 74% (95% CI: 67.9-80.1) and 42.6% (95% CI=35.7-49.5) (P=0.0001) of correct times compliers. A total of 81.6% (95% CI=76.2-86.5%)) were controlled in the IG and 56.3% (95% CI=49.4-63.2) in the CG. The NNT was 3.3 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Therapeutic non-compliance was very high. The educational magazine is an effective strategy to improve the compliance and degree of control of the AHT.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud la Orden, Huelva, España. Electronic address: emarquezc@papps.org.
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Márquez Contreras
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Hipertensión, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Nieves
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Martel Claros
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud Monovar, Alicante, España.
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gil Guillén
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud la Orden, Huelva, España.
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Martín De Pablos
authors.affiliation: ABS la Mina, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De la Figuera Von Wichman
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud la Orden, Huelva, España.
authors.forename: José Joaquín
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Casado Martínez
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud Villanueva de la Serena, Villanueva de la Serena, Badajoz, España.
authors.forename: Jacinto
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Espinosa García
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud Adoratrices, Huelva, España.
authors.forename: José Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Pastoriza Vilas
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic