The study of factors affecting the patient's decision to irregularly use blood pressure lowering medicines

The Study of Factors Affecting the Patient's Decision to Irregularly Use Blood Pressure Lowering Medicines Dalijos Giedraitienės master’s thesis. Research supervisor prof. dr. Virginija Grabauskienė. Vilnius University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Forensic Medicine and Pharmacology – Vilnius 2016 - 2017. The aim: To determine the factors that affect the patient‘s decision to use blood pressure lowering medication irregularly. Methodology: The research was carried out in Vilnius since January 2017 until March 2017. The method of anonymous survey was chosen to carry out the research. 377 filled in and eligible questionnaires were analysed. The survey sample was calculated using Raosoft survey sample calculator. Descriptive and comparative statistical data analysis was completed using SPSS software version 22. Result: Average age of the survey respondents was 58.94 years. Most of the respondents 76.1 percent knew that the most common cause of death is cardiovascular disease. Results of the study showed that most patients are aware of the major risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases. Almost all respondents said that they do not know what their blood pressure is, while 42.7 % of participants said that they measure their blood pressure. Most of the information about cardiovascular disease and how to avoid them given by a doctor (79%) or pharmacy technician (61.8%). 78.5% of respondents said they take blood pressure lowering medication every day. One type of medications commonly used to lower blood pressure (45.2%), 78.5% of respondents said they bought drugs immediately after the recipe and use them every day. The data analysis showed that patients regularly taking blood pressure lowering medication in different age groups is not the same (p <0.001). Patients who consume alcohol, are much less likely to use a blood pressure-lowering medication at regular intervals (p