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Despite the availability of effective therapy, hypertension remains poorly controlled and noncompliance has been identified as the predominant reason for failure of hypertension therapy. The aim of this study is to explore, (a) the patient¿s reports about their adherence and difficulties for the fulfillment of the treatment; (b) the relationship between information they had received about the consequences for health of hypertension and what they really believed about; (c) the patients¿ beliefs about the hypertension as a disease; and (d) the change in their way of living after the diagnosis. 171 hypertensive patients participated. Results shows that only 11,7% of patients reported not having problems to follow treatment, identifying as the main difficulties the adherence to diet and exercise; a high percentage of patients showed no correspondence between their beliefs about the consequences of hypertension and the information received in medical consultation; only 57% of the patients reported to have the idea of hypertension as a chronic disease; and 40,9% of the patients reported only some changes in their way of life after being diagnosed which might indicate failures in adherence at the beginning of the treatment. The importance of these results to improve adherence to treatment in hypertensive patients is discussed.
