OVERVIEW OF MEDICATION ADHERENCE IN ELDERLY HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS AND RELATED FACTORS

Hypertension is the chronic cardiovascular condition most frequently seen in older people and a principal driver of stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure and early death. Bringing blood pressure to target relies heavily on taking medication regularly over the long term, yet among older adults this behaviour is often unstable and weakens as treatment continues. This review covers three issues: the status and consequences of irregular medication use; the factors shaping adherence, organised by the five-domain framework of the World Health Organization; and approaches that help improve it. Across Vietnamese and international literature, adherence among older hypertensive patients ranges broadly from roughly 55% to more than 90%, differing mainly by measurement tool and study context. World Health Organization’s 5 domains (condition, patient, therapy, socioeconomic and health system/care team-related factors) can be split into modifiable and non-modifiable components. For the modifiable ones, proven interventions include patient education and counselling, regimen simplification with single-pill combinations, reminders by phone call, text message and mobile application, dose-management aids, and a stronger role for clinical pharmacists and caregivers. Detecting risk factors early and tailoring interventions to each patient are central to improving hypertension outcomes in the elderly.