Abstract

ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
Hypertension is a common chronic disease in Iraq, noncompliance with medications is one of the most important reasons for uncontrolled hypertension.
OBJECTIVE:
This study was designed to detect the percentage and the causes of noncompliance with antihypertensive drugs among the study sample.
PATIENTS AND METHODS:
A cross-sectional study was conducted during the period from August 1st 2012 to February 28th 2013, at four primary health care centers in Sulaimani city, 309 patients were included in the study. Non compliance was tested by using self reported Morisky- Green adherence scale.
RESULTS:
54.7% of the patients were non compliant with the antihypertensive drugs, ( 55%males and 45% females), Statistically significant factors were: young age( 62.5%), female gender (63.3%), low educational level (80.5%), being unemployed (71.7%), duration of hypertension > 10 years( 65.2%), and when the source of medication was from health care centers (75.6%).
CONCLUSION:
A significant percentage of the patients were non compliant with their anti-hypertensive drugs, the main causes of non compliance were patient, physician, and drugs related, respectively.