How to improve adherence with prescribed treatment in hypertensive patients?

Low adherence of hypertensive patients to prescribed antihypertensive medic ations is a major cause of unsatisfactory blood pressure control. Several f actors might have a negative influence on long-term adherence with treatmen t, for example a poor patient-doctor relationship and the presence of drug- induced side-effects. Various strategies are recommended in order to improv e patient compliance, including educational programmes, self-measurement of blood pressure and monitoring of compliance. All methods may be helpful to encourage the patient to take the prescribed medication(s) regularly. it i s also important to find a drug regimen which is at the same time simple, e fficacious and well tolerated. Finally it should be pointed out that the mo tivation of the patient to follow the treatment requires the doctor to be e qually motivated.