[Does the system of prescription issuance influence the therapeutic compliance of hypertensive patients?].

OBJECTIVES

To find out whether the system for issuing prescriptions is linked to the therapeutic compliance and control of the blood pressure of a group of hypertense patients, and to quantify compliance with hypertension treatment through an indirect measurement method (counting pills).

DESIGN

Crossover, descriptive study.

SETTING

Torrelodones Health District (Madrid).

PATIENTS: 54 patients known to be hypertense, of which 27 collected their prescriptions over the counter with no need for a doctor's appointment and 27 received them at a consultation with their doctor.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN

RESULTS

To measure the therapeutic compliance, first a phone call and then a surprise visit to the patient's home were made. At this visit, all the hypertension drugs prescribed were counted. It was specified that patients would be considered compliant if they had a compliance rate of 80-110%. 53.7% of the patients were considered good compliers and 46.3% bad compliers (of whom 37% were under-compliers and 9.3% over-compliers). The statistical analysis found that 59.3% of the patients who collected their prescriptions over the counter were good compliers, whereas 48.1% of those who did so at a medical consultation were (p = 0.41). 7.4% of patients who collected their prescriptions over the counter controlled their blood pressure well, whereas 22% of those who collected them at a consultation did so (p = 0.12).

CONCLUSIONS

No statistically significant association was found between compliance and blood pressure figures, and systems of issuing prescriptions. The percentage of good compliers is high in comparison with other studies, but still insufficient.