Abstract

A REVIEW ON MEDICATION ADHERENCE IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS

Keerthana Ramesh*, Anasuya P., A. R. Shabaraya

ABSTRACT

According to World Health Organization, Medication Adherence is defined as "the degree to which the person’s behaviour corresponds with the agreed recommendations from a health care provider. Despite all preventive measures and awareness on complications of chronic diseases, Medication non-adherence still persists to be an untackled problem. Adherence briefly signifies the initiation of the treatment, execution of pharmacotherapy and its continuation. As per WHO mandating medication adherence of patients therapy for chronic conditions would generate considerable and hefty benefits in terms of Health and economy. As the global index of chronic diseases abates, there is a leap in morbidity and mortality associated with comorbid conditions, and one of the leading cause could be non-adherence. Poor adherence to medications often compromises patient outcomes and it increases patient mortality. Among all the chronic diseases Hypertension affects around one billion individuals worldwide and is expected to increase to 1. 56 billion by 2025. It is usually asymptomatic, chronic disorder which needs a life long treatment. Hypertension need to be steered with effective clinical intervention as it is held directly responsible for various cardiovascular complications. Poor adherence to medication and quality elements of care with respect to current therapeutic guidelines contributes to inadequate control of this condition. Patient education is the key to improving adherence as it is still the backbone of success in a therapy. Certain measures like use of compliance aids, alarms, pill boxes, proper motivational strategy including patient counseling or counseling the caretaker and support from healthcare professionals is the available mainstay to improve medication adherence.

Keywords: Medication Adherence, Hypertension, Chronic diseases, Patient counseling.