An-Najah Staff

Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors for coronary heart disease, heart failure, renal failure and stroke, and it remains an important public health challenge which contributes to disability, health care costs and mortality [1] and [2]. The concepts of medication adherence and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are commonly used in clinical research for assessing pharmaceutical care and improving treatment outcomes [3]. Adherence to drug treatment usually refers to the extent to which patients follow the instructions of their physician or health care providers. HRQoL also refers to the physical, psychological and social dimensions of health that are influenced by a person's experiences, beliefs, expectations and perceptions [4]. Generally one would expect a positive relationship between the two concepts. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between adherence and HRQoL in a hypertensive population. Knowledge of any differences in HRQoL in this population may be helpful in the planning of therapeutic interventions that will ensure desirable HRQoL and not just the control of blood pressure. Knowledge of HRQoL in hypertensive patients and of the relationship between HRQoL and adherence, being a reliable determinant of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, will be helpful in preventing or reducing the incidence of CVDs.