REASONS OF MEDICAL NONCOMPLIANCE IN HEART FAILURE PATIENTS

Abstract

Objective: To determine various reasons of medical noncompliance in heart failure patients.Study Design: Observational survey.Place and Duration of Study: National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Karachi from January2010 to August 2010.Methodology: Study was conducted in all medical wards of NICVD. We included patients who werealready diagnosed heart failure and were on treatment. Patients were asked for reason ofnoncompliance. Data was analyzed using spss V-13.Results: Out of 267 patients 73 (27.3%) were compliant while 194 (72.7%) were noncompliant.Various reasons of non compliance were, inadequate prescription 20.2%, financial reasons 15.5%,15.5% of the patients doesn’t feel need of taking medication, miscommunication 15%, side affects13.5%, nonavailability of medication 11.4%, 7.3% other reasons and 1.1% medication werestopped due to other illness.Conclusion: Medical noncompliance has many reasons. Financial, social, and medical are the mainreasons.