Fatores que interferem na adesão ao tratamento antihipertensivo pelos idosos: revisão de literatura

Abstract

The change in the demographic profile of the population is accompanied by epidemiological changes that are characterized by the incidence of chronic degenerative diseases such as Hypertension. This is an important public health problem in Brazil and worldwide, and still one of the most important risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular and kidney disease. The low adherence to antihypertensive treatment is identified as the main cause of inadequate control of blood pressure problem faced by many health professionals. Given this fact it was necessary to conduct a literature review aimed at identifying the factors that influence adherence to antihypertensive treatment for the elderly. In developing this study we used the databases: Lilacs (Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences), Scielo (ScientificElectronic Library Online) in search of publications and also the manuals of the Ministry of Health and the State Health Department Minas Gerais. The literature review enabled us to identify several factors that influence adherence to treatment for hypertension such as low education, race / ethnicity, sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, not dieting indicated, alcoholism and smoking, economic factors, physical disability and mental health, loneliness, lack of monitoring by the caregiver and family and lack of monitoring by the health team, age, occupation, marital status, religion, lifestyle, cultural beliefs and socioeconomic context. Also found were: the absence of symptoms, lack of medicines, side effects, forgetfulness and lack of health education. It was concluded that adherence to antihypertensive treatment is one of the biggest and most important challenges faced by healthcare family to control the patient's blood pressure indices elderly with Systemic Hypertension.