Urine test for blood pressure drug adherence

The use of a urine test for drug adherence can lead to a drop in blood pressure in patients who had been struggling to regularly take their blood pressure lowering tablets, according to a new study involving UCL researchers, published in Hypertension . Of the 238 patients who underwent the urine test, 73 were not taking their blood pressure lowering tablets on a regular basis. "Our study shows the therapeutic benefits of biochemical screening for non-adherence to antihypertensive treatment," said senior author Professor Maciej Tomaszewski (University of Manchester). "The urine test creates an opportunity for patients and their doctors to discuss the barriers to regular taking of blood pressure lowering medications. The doctors can then act on these barriers and provide the support the patients need to adhere to the treatment regimes," he said. The project involved researchers from the University of Manchester, the University of Leicester, UCL and Charles University, Prague, with collaborators from Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. The data are consistent with previous research by the team which revealed more than one third of people with high blood pressure have not been taking their blood pressure medication as prescribed.