About 90,000 people die each year in Poland from hypertension. It turns out that at the root of the problem lies primarily non-adherence to therapeutic recommendations. Servier has launched a campaign with an emphasis precisely on adherence. Practical materials are to teach patients how to take care to keep their blood pressure within normal limits.
Adherence is key. The 21st edition of Servier's campaign for the Heart is launched
Published Oct. 1, 2024 08:42
- According to the WHO, about 80 percent of patients worldwide are not treated optimally. Only about 25-30 percent of patients in Poland are diagnosed with hypertension and treated effectively. Meanwhile, recommendations indicate that with a single pill we can control blood pressure in 90 percent of patients," stresses Professor Krzysztof Narkiewicz, MD, specialist in internal medicine and hypertensiology, head of the Department of Hypertension and Diabetology at the Gdansk Medical University
It turns out that almost 58 percent of hypertensive patients in Poland do not follow their treatment plan. This endangers their health and even their lives. Throughout Europe, about 200,000 people die each year due to non-compliance with doctor's recommendations. The problem arises as early as the stage of buying the drug prescribed by the doctor.
- One in four patients in Poland will not buy their first prescription. Another few percent will buy it, but will not take the drug. Then, even if the drug is purchased, there is a problem with taking it and skipping doses. If 80 percent of the doses are taken correctly, it's already really good. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for patients to discontinue taking their medication at some point," Prof. Krzysztof Narkiewicz mentions.
The issue of adherence to doctors' recommendations looks particularly bad in young people - under 35. Only about a dozen percent of them take their medications as prescribed.
- In this group we can gain the most, because they, in addition to hypertension, are healthy. They should understand that it's a matter of investment in health. I tell patients that it's better to take one pill for the rest of your life than to take 8 pills in 30 years and not be able to climb to the second floor and have the risk of dialysis," the professor adds.
Hypertension is one of the most common cardiovascular risk factors that, if uncontrolled, can lead to heart attack or stroke and even death.
There are a number of factors that contribute to the abandonment or independent change of the treatment plan, including the patient's situation and state of knowledge, the course of the disease and the specifics of the individually selected therapy.
- A patient who has knowledge of hypertension and what it threatens if left untreated is seven times more likely to accept the recommended treatment than a patient who lacks this knowledge, says Professor Agnieszka Kapłon-Cieślicka, MD, a specialist in cardiology and assistant professor at the First Chair and Department of Cardiology at Warsaw Medical University. - Although adherence to therapeutic recommendations is the responsibility of the patient, the key to success is not to assign all responsibility for the implementation of the treatment plan to the patient, but to work in partnership with the doctor, through which the patient will gain full awareness of the disease and the necessary knowledge of all elements of therapy - pharmacological and non-pharmacological. The result is to be a jointly developed treatment plan that the patient will understand and be able to follow without difficulty. This is what patient-centered care is all about, not the disease," he adds.
Experts emphasize that in the treatment of any disease, especially chronic diseases, it is necessary for the patient to understand his situation very well.
- If something is unclear or of concern, let's not be afraid to tell the doctor and ask questions until all our doubts are resolved. His role is to give the patient accurate and comprehensive information. In turn, the patient must not conceal any important data about his health condition, medications he is taking or lifestyle, because the choice and effectiveness of therapy depends on this. Let's remember that we have a common goal, which is health," stresses Adrianna Sobol, M.D., a health psychologist at the Medical University of Warsaw.
Servier Poland has launched the 21st edition of the Servier for the Heart campaign. It includes educational materials for patients, designed to interest them and make them think and act. They can be downloaded HERE. Zofia and Wiktor Zborowski will remind patients of the need to regularly keep their blood pressure within normal limits in a radio spot and on social media, as well as a funny song that can be heard on selected radio stations.
