ADHERENCE TO MANAGEMENT OF HIGH BLOOD-PRESSURE - RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ION-FOR-HIGH-BLOOD-PRESSURE-PREVENTION-AND-CONTROL

Adherence or compliance, in the context of medical treatment, refers t o how well a patient follows and sticks to the management plan develop ed with her/his health care provider, which may include pharmacologic agents as well as changes in lifestyle. Adherence is of great concern in asymptomatic conditions such as hypertension, where lack of control may have serious ramifications including end organ damage and prematu re mortality. To address this issue, the Canadian Coalition for High B lood Pressure Prevention and Control established a national Advisory C ommittee on Adherence to the Management of High Blood Pressure. The Ad visory Committee consisted of 11 members from different disciplines of health care providers. The Committee reviewed all evidences to date a nd drew up four practical recommendations with respect to patients, pr ovider and environment. Based on Canadian Task Force on Periodic Healt h Examination's guidelines, all four recommendations can be classified as 'level C' with a quality of evidence of II.