Determination of Pharmacological Adherence in Hypertensive Elderly

Abstract

Objective: to determine the behavior of adherence to pharmacological treatment in hypertensive elderly. Methods: analytical and cross-sectional study carried out on hypertensive older adults assigned to the Pedro Borras Astorga Teaching Polyclinic, in Pinar del Río, during 2018. The study of the individual and family health history, and the application of instruments in the 298 individuals that conformed the sample allowed the collection of information related to the studied variables, the tests χ² and Kruskal Wallis were used to determine association between them. Results: 25.2% of the participants belonged to the age group 65-69 years, women were the most representative patients. The average was ten years of disease evolution (6-14.5), 52.7% showed polypharmacy, 89.6% attended consultations occasionally. Age, gender, marital status, cohabitation, schooling, time of disease progression, presence of polypharmacy, consultation attendance, and level of knowledge showed a statistically significant association (p<0.05) with drug adherence. Conclusion: It was determined the behavior of adherence, and its association with sociodemographic variables and others linked to the patient’s condition was identified. This will make possible to design new strategies at the Primary Care level to improve the disease control and reduce morbidity and mortality figures in order to improve the patient’s quality of life.