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The authors analyzed 307 questionnaires of patients with essential hypertension (EH) in order to study the influence of social and economic factors on compliance to outpatient therapy. The analysis shows that about 55% of patients take antihypertensive medication on a regular basis. The most frequent reasons for non-compliance to treatment are financial problems, personal features such as forgetfulness and absent-mindedness, lack of motivation towards treatment, the necessity to take a large number of drugs, not knowing about the necessity to take medicines on a regular basis, fear of complications of the therapy etc. There is a strong positive correlation between patients" compliance, on the one hand, and the length of the disease and the level of education, on the other. The was a negative correlation between compliance, on the one hand, and the number of medicines taken, the financial income, the cost of antihypertensive medication, and the number of visits to the doctor during the year. Measures to increase the compliance of patients with EH to treatment include improvement of education of doctors on pharmacoeconomic issues, a wider use of educational actions for patients, improvement of the quality of outpatient observation and the work of schools for patients with arterial hypertension, as well as introduction of preferential provision with pharmaceuticals for all patients with arterial hypertension.
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PMID:[The influence of socio-economic factors on the compliance of patients with treatment of hypertonic disease]. 1752 10

Effective prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases require regular screening for risk factors, high awareness of the condition, effective treatment of the identified risk factors, and adherence to the prescribed treatment. The Cardiovascular Risk Factor Multiple Evaluation in Latin America study was a cross-sectional, population-based, observational study of major cardiovascular risk factors-including hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia-in 7 Latin American cities. This report presents data on assessment, diagnosis, extent, and effectiveness of treatment, adherence to treatment, and reasons for nonadherence. Data were collected through household questionnaire-based interviews administered to 5383 men and 6167 women, 25-64 years of age, living in the following cities: Barquisimeto, Venezuela; Bogota, Colombia; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Lima, Peru; Mexico City, Mexico; Quito, Ecuador; and Santiago, Chile. Participants also completed a clinic visit for anthromorphometric and laboratory assessments. Rates of prior diagnosis of hypertension and diabetes were high (64% and 78% of affected individuals, respectively) but relatively low for hypercholesterolemia (41%). The majority of affected individuals (hypercholesterolemia 88%, diabetes 67%, and hypertension 53%) were untreated. Among individuals who were receiving pharmacologic treatment, targets for control of hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia were achieved by 51%, 16%, and 52%, respectively. Adherence to treatment was observed in 69% of individuals with hypertension, 63% with diabetes, and 66% with hypercholesterolemia. Forgetfulness was the major cause of nonadherence for all 3 conditions. There is a substantial need for increasing patient education, diagnosis, treatment, adherence, and control of cardiovascular risk factors in the 7 Latin American cities.
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PMID:Cardiovascular risk awareness, treatment, and control in urban Latin America. 1953 66

This study explored the level of antihypertensive medication adherence and examined certain demographic attributes and influential factors in relation to antihypertensive medication nonadherence among Chinese American elders using a descriptive cross-sectional survey design. Findings revealed that 52% of the elderly Chinese Americans adhered to their antihypertensive medications. Gender, education, years of residency in the United States, years of diagnosed hypertension, and perceived safety of taking antihypertensive medications did not contribute to the differences in medication adherence. Forgetfulness, medication adverse effects, language difficulties, and cultural barriers were the influential factors that hinder antihypertensive medication adherence. Developing effective and culturally appropriate strategies for Chinese American elders is recommended.
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PMID:Antihypertensive medication adherence among elderly Chinese Americans. 2067 38

Memory complaints are ubiquitous in our aging population. Many older adults fear that today's forgetfulness will usher in tomorrow's dementia. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is considered by many as an intermediary stage for dementia. Though the nomenclature has been varied and extensive, the criteria by the American Academy of Neurology and the EADC have been helpful. Prevalence rates varying from 3% to as high as 59% with a conversion rate to dementia varying from 8 to 15% only increases the need for diagnostic tests and markers which are in the form of neuropsychological tests, neuroimaging and other biological markers.Medications indicated for treatment of mild to severe Alzheimer's Disease (AD) are offered to persons with MCI with a varying type of response which does not hold in the long run to newer strategies of exploring disease modifying drugs which hold a better promise. This benefit with management of risk factors like hypertension and diabetes coupled with non-pharmacological approaches like exercise and social networking has thrust upon us the necessity for coordinating our efforts to improve detection and management of MCI.
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PMID:Mild cognitive impairment: The dilemma. 2141 16

Hypertension (HTN) is the most common disease found in patients in primary care [JNC-7 Guidelines. The seventh report of the joint national committee on prevention, detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood pressure. Hyper 2003;42:1206.]. It eventually requires medication if lifestyle modifications are not initiated or do not control the blood pressure well enough. The majority of patients would prefer not to have to be medicated to manage their disease, and HTN can be found to be a comorbidity along with diabetes, CAD, and many other cardiovascular diseases. Adverse effects, forgetfulness and patient ignorance are multiple reasons for the hesitancy to begin drug management. Pomegranate juice is rich in tannins, possesses anti-atherosclerotic properties, has anti-aging effects, and potent anti-oxidative characteristics. As some antioxidants have been shown to reduce blood pressure, the purpose of this review was to discover the effect of pomegranate juice consumption on blood pressure and cardiovascular health. Pomegranate juice consumption may reduce systolic blood pressure, inhibits serum ACE activity, and is convincingly a heart-healthy fruit [Aviram M, Dornfeld L. Pomegranate juice consumption inhibits serum angiotensin converting enzyme activity and reduces systolic blood pressure. Athero 2001;158:195-8.]. More clinical research is needed as a number of the studies discussed include small sample sizes and few studies seem to have been undertaken in the recent 5-10 years.
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PMID:The effects of pomegranate juice consumption on blood pressure and cardiovascular health. 2145 2

Sleep-related breathing disorders encompass a range of disorders in which abnormal ventilation occurs during sleep as a result of partial or complete obstruction of the upper airway, altered respiratory drive, abnormal chest wall movement, or respiratory muscle function. The most common of these is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), occurring in both adults and children, and causing significant cognitive and daytime dysfunction and reduced quality of life. OSA patients experience repetitive brief cessation of breathing throughout the night, which causes intermittent hypoxemia (reductions in hemoglobin oxygen levels) and fragmented sleep patterns. These nocturnal events result in excessive daytime sleepiness, and changes in mood and cognition. Chronic excessive sleepiness during the day is a common symptom of sleep-related breathing disorders, which is assessed in sleep clinics both subjectively (questionnaire) and objectively (sleep latency tests). Mood changes are often reported by patients, including irritability, fatigue, depression, and anxiety. A wide range of cognitive deficits have been identified in untreated OSA patients, from attentional and vigilance, to memory and executive functions, and more complex tasks such as simulated driving. These changes are reflected in patient reports of difficulty in concentrating, increased forgetfulness, an inability to make decisions, and falling asleep at the wheel of a motor vehicle. These cognitive changes can also have significant downstream effects on daily functioning. Moderate to severe cases of the disorder are at a higher risk of having a motor vehicle accident, and may also have difficulties at work or school. A number of comorbidities may also influence the cognitive changes in OSA patients, including hypertension, diabetes, and stroke. These diseases can cause changes to neural vasculature and result in neural damage, leading to cognitive impairments. Examination of OSA patients using neuroimaging techniques such as structural magnetic resonance imaging and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy has observed significant changes to brain structure and metabolism. The downstream effects of neural, cognitive, and daytime functional impairments can be significant if left untreated. A better understanding of the cognitive effects of these disorders, and development of more effective assessment tools for diagnosis, will aid early intervention and improve quality of life of the patient.
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PMID:Cognition and daytime functioning in sleep-related breathing disorders. 2153 Dec 44

This study addressed the issue of medication compliance in general, compliance with antihypertensive therapy, and the relationship between these two groups. In addition to determining the reasons for noncompliance with therapy prescription, the aim of this study was to also establish whether it was considered feasible by the patients to comply with their physician's instructions and whether the patients believed that the prescribed therapy was beneficial to their health. Hypertensive patients were compared to the total study population according to age groups. The study was designed as a cross-sectional survey with the use of a 33-item self-administered questionnaire. The study included 635 individuals who were collecting or buying drugs for the treatment of chronic diseases, with special reference to subjects taking antihypertensive agents (n = 361). More than half (n = 361; 56.9%) of the 635 study subjects were on therapy for arterial hypertension and possibly for some other diseases. The great majority of study subjects reported forgetfulness as the main reason for skipping drug doses. Comparison between the total study population and the subjects treated for arterial hypertension according to age groups (compliant, noncompliant and all together) yielded no statistically significant difference. We concluded that there was no difference in medication compliance between the general patient population and patients receiving antihypertensive therapy and there was no correlation between medication compliance and age.
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PMID:Determining the difference in medication compliance between the general patient population and patients receiving antihypertensive therapy: a case study. 2181 21

After the advent of Statins in 1960's, they are being extensively used as Antiathrogenic drug for Primary Hyperlipidemia, Angina, Ischemic Heart Disease (Medical or Post Surgical), Atherosclerosis, Diabetes mellitus and Hypertension. Rarely, these drugs have been observed to cause hypocholesterolemia. We present a case of forty years old male who was started on Atorvastatin after his angioplasty following anterior myocardial infarction. Six weeks after the start of antilipid drug patient developed symptoms of phobias, nightmares, insomnia, forgetfulness, body aches, muscle cramps, cognitive, sexual and psychomotor disturbances. On investigation he was found to have hypocholesterolemia. Atorvastatin was stopped and dietary restrictrictions were lifted. Over five month patients symptoms resolved as the serum cholesterol levels became normal. Because of similarities of symptoms of hypocholesterolemia secondary to antilipid therapy and the disease itself, hypocholesterolemia was overlooked initially by physicians. Patients on antilipids must be evaluated for any fall in serum cholerterol if they develop unusual symptoms and patients on long-term antilipids must have regularly lipid profile checked.
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PMID:Hypocholesterolemia secondary to atrovastatin therapy. 2233 62

The aim of this study descriptive study was to evaluate concordance with medication and those factors that affect the use of medicine in patients with hypertension. Data were collected using a questionnaire completed by 750 patients with hypertension between December 25, 2003, and April 30, 2004, in an outpatient hypertension clinic in Erzincan, Turkey. It was found that 57.9% of the patients did not use their medicines as prescribed. Forgetfulness, aloneness, and negligence were ranked as the top three reasons for this non-concordance, accounting for almost half (49.3%) of all patients with hypertension studied; price (expensive medicines) accounted for another quarter (26.5%). A statistically significant relationship with non-concordance was found for age, education level and profession. Patients' lack of knowledge related to the complications of hypertension was also found to have a statistically significant relationship with not taking medicines as prescribed. Gender, location of residence and salary were not found to be statistically related to concordance. These results indicate the need to educate patients with hypertension on how to use their medicine regularly and indicate also the target populations for this.
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PMID:Factors affecting medication adherence in patients with hypertension. 2312 28

African Americans living in poor neighborhoods bear a high burden of illness and early mortality. Nonadherence may contribute to this burden. In a prospective cohort study of urban African Americans with poorly controlled hypertension, mortality was 47.6% over a median follow-up of 6.1 years. Patients with pill-taking nonadherence were more likely to die (hazard ratio, 1.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18-2.76) after adjustment for potential confounders. With regard to factors related to nonadherence, poor access to care such as difficulty paying for medications was associated with prescription refill nonadherence (odds ratio [OR], 4.12; 95% CI, 1.88-9.03). Pill-taking nonadherence was not associated with poor access to care; however, it was associated with factors related to treatment ambivalence including lower hypertension knowledge (OR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.39-6.32), side effects (OR, 3.44; 95% CI, 1.47-8.03), forgetfulness (OR, 3.62; 95% CI, 1.78-7.34), and feeling that the medications do not help (OR, 2.78; 95% CI, 1.09-7.09). These data suggest that greater access to care is a necessary but insufficient remedy to the disparities experienced by urban African Americans with hypertension. To achieve its full promise, health reform must also address treatment ambivalence.
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PMID:Access to Care, Treatment Ambivalence, Medication Nonadherence, and Long-Term Mortality Among Severely Hypertensive African Americans: A Prospective Cohort Study. 2592 81


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