How to avoid the depression of the adherence to antihypertensive treatment?

Adherence to antihypertensive treatment is a major problem for the correct management of cardiovascular diseases in general and for arterial hypertension in particular. It has been estimated that the proportion of hypertensive patients who are persistent in their medications after 3 years from the first prescription is about one-third of the treated population. As adherence to antihypertensive medications is a crucial issue for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, we must definitely encourage the early identification of any possible factor that might promote drug discontinuation. Depression and mood disturbances in general, may negatively affect the likelihood of a correct assumption of antihypertensive drugs and might be considered in addition to the other risk factors for poor adherence.