Non-adherence to the older antihypertensive therapy: a challenge to be faced by the professional staff

This article aims to identify and discuss the factors related to non-adherence to antihypertensive therapy. It is a literature search that was to switch the chronological period from 1975 to2009. We used primary source of data available in databases Bireme, sites of the Brazilian Society of Hypertension and the Brazilian Society of Cardiology. The results show that many factors may predispose for non-compliance should be analyzed and addressed by patients, health professionals and institutions. Among these may be highlighted factors related to disease and treatment, such as absence of symptoms and side effects, difficulties in access to medicines and services, socio-demographic characteristics, such as illiteracy and low level of knowledge about health-related functional disability as cognitive deficits, visual and auditory, psychological profile of the patient and locus of control, factors related to the belief, lifestyle and culture, relational factors as inadequate social support, family and institutional and professional relationship of health-ill patient. Studies of adherence may contribute significantly to both the planning and organization of health and to reorient care practices from the perspective of rational use of medicines by the elderly.