Assessment of the improvement in treatment efficacy and compliance in patients with arterial hypertension treated with antihypertensive drug combinations

Abstract

Background The aim of this study was to assess the
therapeutic efficacy and compliance in patients with arterial
hypertension treated with antihypertensive drug
combinations.

Material and methods This open label, non-interventional,
observational, and multicenter study was conducted
by 354 physicians on 4635 patients with arterial hypertension,
in whom treatments with antihypertensive drug combinations
was initiated. The final analyses included medical
records collected from 4218 patients. During an observational
period, two consecutive visits in 3-month intervals
were conducted, in which blood pressure was measured
and self-administrated Morisky-Green questionnaire to
measure medication compliance in hypertensive patients
was performed. Physician’s decision on the choice of treatment
regimen was taken independently of patient inclusion
to the study.

Results At the first visit, only 161 (3.8%) patients had blood
pressure below 140/90 mm Hg, but 4050 (90.2%) patients
were not effectively treated. After applying antihypertensive
drug combinations, target values of blood pressure
were achieved in 1047 (78%) patients. Moreover, an improvement
in patient compliance measured by positive answers
in Morisky-Green questionnaire was also observed.

Conclusions An application of antihypertensive drug combinations
in clinical practice is associated with improvements
in blood pressure control and medication compliance
in arterial hypertension.