Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2006 Jul;21(4):310-5.
doi: 10.1097/01.hco.0000231400.10104.e2.

Overcoming barriers: the role of providers in improving patient adherence to antihypertensive medications

Gary Harmon  1 , John Lefante, Marie Krousel-Wood
Affiliations
Review

Overcoming barriers: the role of providers in improving patient adherence to antihypertensive medications

Gary Harmon et al. Curr Opin Cardiol. 2006 Jul.

Abstract

Purpose of review: To provide an overview of recent research assessing the role of physicians and other healthcare providers in facilitating improvements in patient adherence to antihypertensive medications, to provide a framework for addressing patient adherence to antihypertensive therapy, and to propose future directions for assessing the risk of poor adherence in clinical settings.

Recent findings: Several recent studies have highlighted the role of the healthcare provider in improving patient adherence to antihypertensive therapy. Opportunities exist for providers to improve communication that enhances patients' understanding of their disease and its treatment, to tailor interventions based on whether patients are intentionally or unintentionally non-adherent, to assess and treat side-effects such as erectile dysfunction, to switch to less costly generic alternatives, and to reduce the complexities of medication regimens.

Summary: Poor adherence to prescribed therapies is common in patients with hypertension, and should be considered in the evaluation of the hypertensive patient with poor blood pressure control. When initiating treatment in patients newly diagnosed with hypertension and when monitoring patients with existent disease, providers should identify barriers to medication adherence and actively engage patients in shared decision-making regarding their treatment. These activities will facilitate adherence, which may lead to improved outcomes for patients with hypertension and other chronic cardiovascular diseases.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

Substances

-