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Association between medication adherence and health-related quality of life of patients with hypertension and dyslipidemia

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Abstract

Purpose

Τo evaluate the association between medication adherence and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with hypertension and dyslipidemia in Greece.

Methods

In a multicenter, cross-sectional, non-interventional study, a total of 721 hypertensive and 463 dyslipidemic adult outpatient patients were recruited during the COVID-19 pandemic using consecutive sampling. The EQ-5D-5L instrument was used to measure HRQoL, and medication adherence was assessed with the Adherence Starts with Knowledge 20 questionnaire. Multiple linear stepwise regressions using robust standard errors were employed.

Results

Approximately 28% of hypertensive and 16% of dyslipidemic patients had not been fully adherent during the previous week, while the estimates were 49 and 34%, respectively when the previous month was considered. The HRQoL domain with the highest prevalence of problems was anxiety/depression, followed by mobility and usual activities for both conditions; HRQoL was lower in dyslipidemic patients. Higher medication non-adherence was independently associated with lower EQ-VAS in hypertension and a lower EQ-5D index in dyslipidemia. Other significant risk factors of impaired HRQoL and general health were lack of exercise, longer duration of disease, and multimorbidity, while a curvilinear effect of BMI and age was observed. Also, female gender, employment, and marriage worked as protective factors for hypertensive patients and education for dyslipidemic participants.

Conclusion

Medication adherence is suboptimal in patients with hypertension and, in particular, with dyslipidemia in Greece. Moreover, poor medication adherence has a detrimental impact on patients’ HRQoL. Therefore, improving treatment outcomes and patients’ HRQoL in a sustainable way requires a better understanding of the factors influencing medication adherence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National and Kapodistrian University of Athens MBA, Sofokleous 1 & Aristeidou Str., 105 59, Athens, Greece

    Athanasios Chantzaras & John Yfantopoulos

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  1. Athanasios Chantzaras
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  2. John Yfantopoulos
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Correspondence to Athanasios Chantzaras.

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Chantzaras, A., Yfantopoulos, J. Association between medication adherence and health-related quality of life of patients with hypertension and dyslipidemia. Hormones 22, 665–676 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42000-023-00471-5

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