Review: simplifying dosing regimens appears to improve treatment adherence in patients with high blood pressure in ambulatory settings
Q In patients with high blood pressure in ambulatory settings, what is the effectiveness of interventions aimed at increasing adherence to blood pressure lowering medication?
METHODS
Data sources:
Medline, CINAHL, and EMBASE/Excerpta Medica (all from inception to April 2002); Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (Issue 1, 2002); bibliographies of relevant articles; authors; and experts.
Study selection and assessment:
randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in any language that compared interventions to increase adherence to blood pressure lowering medication (including patient education, simplification of dosage regimens, involvement of allied health professionals, special monitoring methods, and motivation) with no intervention or usual care in adults with essential hypertension in a primary care, outpatient, or other community setting. Exclusion criteria included patients with secondary hypertension. Individual study quality was assessed based on randomisation process, allocation concealment, blinding, power calculation, and loss to follow up. …
