Adherence to the antihypertensive treatment: a conceptual analysis

Abstract

The arterial systemic hypertension occupies a prominent place in the epidemiological transition context and constitutes one of the main risk factors for the appearance of heart diseases. The control of hypertension is directly related to the degree of the patient’s adherence to the therapeutic regime. This study aims to analyze the concept of “Adherence to the antihypertensive treatment”, identifying the possible antecedent factors, the critical attributes and the consequences of the phenomenon; and also to elaborate a theoretical model which incorporates the findings of the conceptual analysis and offers subsidies for the construction of instruments to measure the concept, as well as a basis for educational activities planned to the patients with hypertension. The study has adopted the conceptual analysis methodology proposed by Lorraine O. Walker and Kay C. Avant, and it was carried out through a bibliographical survey of scientific articles on the medical and nursing field relating to this matter, published in the Portuguese and English languages, from January 1995 to July 2001. Several aspects related to the patient, to the therapeutic regime and to the Health System were identified as antecedents of the “Adherence to the antihypertensive treatment”. Two attributes were identified for the concept: the active participation in the treatment and the accomplishment of changes in the life style. The reduction in the incidence or the delay in the occurrence of complications, the controlled arterial pressure and the improvement of the quality of life of patients with hypertension were identified as consequences of the concept of “Adherence to the antihypertensive treatment”.