Adherence of Patients to Antihypertensive Therapy With Combination of Perindopril and Indapamide According to Data of the FORSAGE Program

Aim: to assess adherence of patients to antihypertensive therapy with fixed perindopril and indapamide combination (FPIC) as well as to elucidate causes of changes of therapy after 6 months. Material and methods. In 6 months after termination of the FORSAGE observational program we interviewed over telephone 148 of 1299 patients who achieved target blood pressure (BP) values. Results. Adherence to treatment was high 67.5% of patients continued to take the drug. In 87.9% of patients BP was kept on target level (<140 and 90 mm Hg), in 12.1% BP was above this level. Most patients were satisfied by results of treatment. Infrequent hypertensive crises persisted in 6.1% of patients; 3% of patients sought emergency service. Among 48 patients who stopped taking FPIC 22 (45.8%) made this decision themselves, 11 on physician's advice. Main causes of cancellation of treatment were high cost of the drug, its absence in the list of concessional mediciations, physicians statement "course treatment completed, condition improved". Among those who stopped treatment 10 patients could not report values of their BP; in 28 (58.3%) BP was at and in 10 (20.8%) above target level; crises were registered in 8.3% of patients, 4.2% of patients called ambulances, 1 patient suffered stroke. Of 48 patients who stopped treatment with FLIC 19 consented to self report assessment health status; 84% of reported scores were above 5, but no score was equal to 9 or 10.