Adherence of Heart Transplant Recipients to Prescribed Medication and Recommended Lifestyle Habits: A Single-Center Experience

Introduction:Nonadherence may cause severe health problems in heart transplant (HTx) recipients.Research Questions:The present study aimed to investigate adherence to prescribed medication and recommended lifestyle habits in post-HTx patients and to assess associations between adherence, quality of life (QOL), and psychological well-being.Design:A questionnaire package was sent to all HTx patients from our clinic (n = 858) to answer questions anonymously on medication adherence, dietary recommendations (avoidance of raw animal products and ice cream), pet keeping (risk of zoonosis), anxiety and depression, QOL, and posttraumatic stress disorders.Results:Of the contacted patients, 524 (61%) responded and 505 fulfilled the inclusion criteria (age ≥18 years and ability to understand German). Of the study participants, 72.4% reported taking their medications very correctly, 72.2% stated consuming alcohol less often than once a week, 58.3% performed physical exercise at least once a week, one-third reported ea...