Clinical research Compliance in heart failure patients: the importance of knowledge and beliefs

See page 379 for the editorial comment on this article (doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehi664) Aims Non-compliance in patients with heart failure (HF) contributes to worsening HF symptoms and may lead to hospitalization. Several smaller studies have examined compliance in HF, but all were limited as they only studied either the individual components of compliance and its related factors or several aspects of compliance without studying the related factors. The aims of this study were to examine all dimensions of compliance and its related factors in one HF population. Methods and results Data were collected in a cohort of 501 HF patients. Clinical and demographic data were assessed and patients completed questionnaires on compliance, beliefs, knowledge, and self-care behaviour. Overall compliance was 72 % in this older HF population. Compliance with medication and appointment keeping was high (.90%). In contrast, compliance with diet (83%), fluid restriction (73%), exercise (39%), and weighing (35%) was markedly lower. Compliance was related to knowledg