Taking antihypertensive medication--controlling or co-operating with patients?

Low compliance with antihypertensive drug regimens has been a well documented reason for inadequate control of hypertension. We assessed recent literature regarding compliance from different disciplines to clarify the nature of reported problems on low compliance to prescribed antihypertensive medication. Much research focuses on primary factors for compliance, methods to monitor and measure individual rates and patterns of compliance. From a behavioural oriented point of view, the focus is on understanding why patients act as they do. This review indicates that there is an almost complete lack of knowledge about how the decision making in the clinical practice is organized when prescribing antihypertensive medication and/or when following up treatment from patients already taking such drugs. Since the concrete communication and collaboration between patient and physician in the clinical setting are of prime significance for patient adherence to drug regimens, it is important to shed light on what happens in this critical situation.