Beliefs about medications when treating hypertension in primary health care: results from "PERson-centredness in hypertension management using information Technology (PERHIT)".

Hypertension is a major global health concern. Despite of efficient antihypertensive medications a low percentage of patients reach a blood pressure (BP) of <140/90. Nonadherence is a great concern in hypertension treatment and patients' beliefs about medications has been shown to have a strong impact on adherence. The objective of this study is to examine beliefs about medications and its impact on BP treatment in a group of Swedish primary healthcare patients treated for hypertension with or without an E-health platform. In a randomised unblinded controlled trial, 949 patients with hypertension from Swedish primary health care centres were included. The intervention group used a web-based system to support self-management of hypertension for eight weeks. Beliefs about medication questionnaire (BMQ) were administered to all patients at inclusion, 8-week follow up and 1-year follow up. Data were collected from the 862 patients who completed the trial. No statistically significant difference was found in BMQ-scores between the intervention and the control group. An association between lower scores in the BMQ subsection 'General-Harm' and achieving target BP of <140/90 mmHg were noted (p = 0.021). This study shows a significant association between beliefs about medication and BP levels, on hypertensive patients in the Swedish primary care setting, in only one out of four subsections of the BMQ. The intervention did not have a significant effect on changing patients' beliefs about medication. Further emphasis on patients' beliefs about medications could be useful in the clinical setting. What is the context? Insufficient treatment effect of high blood pressure is a major global health concern, even though there are several different effective medications. Patients not taking their medications, as they have been prescribed, is a well-known contributing factor. There are associations between underlying beliefs about medications and how strict patients adhere to their prescriptions. What is new? In this study data was collected from 862 patients with high blood pressure. The participants were randomised into two groups, one group got treatment as usual and the other group used a web-based interactive information technology system for 8 weeks, in addition to their medications. All participants answered questionnaires about their beliefs about medications. It was shown that the beliefs about medications had limited significant associations to blood pressure levels. Furthermore, the intervention seemed to have no effect upon patients' beliefs about medications. What is the impact? This study provides further evidence that patients' beliefs about medications might be a possible factor to take into consideration when aiming to treat high blood pressure. The intervention used in this study had no impact on patients' beliefs about medications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]