Determinants and Barriers to Adherence in Hypertension

Abstract

Hypertension is a chronic disease which needs a lifelong treatment in mostly asympatomatic patients. During the life of a patient treated for essential hypertension, many obstacles may occur which impair his/her ability to stay on therapy. In this chapter, we will review the determinants and barriers to adherence in hypertension utilizing the WHO Multidimensional Adherence Model classification, showing in which phase of the adherence process they intervene. We will review how these barriers may complicate the therapeutic history of a hypertensive patient based on a clinical case.