Evaluating the Role of Clinical Pharmacists in Providing Pharmaceutical Care to Improve Adherence in Hypertensive Patients at a Rural Hospital in Southern Chile: A Pilot Study

OBJECTIVE: The majority of patients who receive antihypertensive treatment do not achieve adequate blood pressure (BP) outcomes. Adherence to antihypertensive therapy contributes to adequate control of BP and is a substantial reason for therapeutic success. This study aims to evaluate the role of clinical pharmacists in improving patient adherence to pharmacological treatment and in improving BP outcomes. METHODS: A pre- and postpharmaceutical care interventional study was provided to hypertensive patients in the Cardiovascular Health Program of the Family Health Community Hospital in rural Coelemu, Chile. Patients received pharmaceutical care in three individualized sessions over 6 months. Written educational materials including basic information on high BP were provided to each patient in every session using easy-to-understand language. BP was measured at the beginning and end of each session using an electronic tensiometer, and patients reported their adherence to therapy using indirect, self-reported measures. FINDINGS: Over the study period, patients experienced average decreases in systolic and diastolic BP of 7.68 mmHg (P < 0.001) and 2.91 mmHg (P < 0.001), respectively. Patient adherence to medication, according to self-reported measures, increased from 22% to 60% over the study period. CONCLUSION: Pharmaceutical care, including education about hypertension, healthy lifestyle habits, and adherence, was associated with improved adherence to antihypertensive drug treatment and control of BP in hypertensive patients at a rural hospital in Chile.