The following is a summary of “Association Between Self‐Rated Medication Adherence and Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Hypertension,” published in the November 2023 issue of Cardiology by Ibrahim et al.
This study aimed to examine the relationship between self-assessed medication adherence and key health indicators in patients involved in the SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial). Among 9,361 participants with hypertension, self-reported adherence was recorded using a scale ranging from 0% to 100%. Lower adherence (scores ≤80%) was compared to higher adherence (>80%) and evaluated for associations with systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, cardiovascular events, and all-cause mortality using regression models.
Over an average follow-up of 3.8 years, participants with lower adherence exhibited higher estimated on-treatment systolic blood pressure and elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels compared to highly adherent individuals. Additionally, those with lower adherence experienced a greater incidence of cardiovascular events and higher all-cause mortality, emphasizing the potential link between self-rated adherence, health markers, and adverse outcomes. These findings underscore the significance of self-reported adherence in identifying patients with poorer medication adherence and its association with critical health parameters and adverse consequences in hypertensive patients.