Adherence to pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment of frail hypertensive patients

Objective To investigate the relationship between frailty syndrome (FS) and adherence to pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment for hypertension. Methods The study included 100 patients diagnosed with hypertension and treated with one or more hypotensive drugs. Results Frail patients obtained low scores (4.1 ± 2.0) for adherence to pharmaceutical treatment of hypertension, while non-frail patients obtained moderate scores (6.1 ± 2.1). Non-frail patients had higher scores in two out of four domains of the Health Behavior Inventory (HBI): positive mental attitudes (3.6 ± 0.4 vs. 3.2 ± 0.5; P = 0.006) and health practices (3.6 ± 0.5 vs. 3.2 ± 0.5; P P P P = 0.036). Education was a statistically significant independent determinant of better adherence to pharmacological treatment (β = 0.82; P = 0.012), while net income positively affected health behaviors as measured by the HBI (β = 0.39; P = 0.046). Conclusions FS is a significant independent factor contributing to worse adherence to pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment of hypertension. Better education significantly improves patients’ adherence to the prescribed pharmacological treatment, while a good financial standing evidenced by high net income is a determinant of better adherence to health-related behaviors recommended in hypertension treatment.