A Qualitative Study on the Experiences of Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension Undergoing Polypharmacy

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a severe progressive disease characterized by elevated blood pressure in the lungs. Medications are a critical form of treatment for patients with PH. This study aims to explore the experiences of patients with PH undergoing polypharmacy, thereby providing a more concrete foundation for formulating targeted intervention measures. A purposive sampling method was used to select 13 PH patients treated in a grade III hospital in Zhejiang Province from December 2023 to February 2024 as the research subjects. This study is a descriptive qualitative research design, where the patients were interviewed face-to-face in a semi-structured manner. The data were analyzed, summarized and extracted using the traditional content analysis method. There were five themes and ten sub-themes surrounding the polypharmacy experiences of the PH patients: (1) Negative emotional experience of multidrug use, including lack of disease-related medication knowledge and insufficient ability to obtain medication information; (2) Complex physical testing of multiple drugs, including adverse reactions and complex dose titration; (3) Economic burden; (4) Coping difficulties, including insufficient drug safety, excessive reliance on medical personnel, and lack of opportunities for deep participation; (5) Desire for supports, including professional and social support, as well as those from family, colleagues and classmates. Disease, treatment, psychological factors, and social customs affect PH patients' drug use post-diagnosis, with varying experiences and degrees. Healthcare providers must offer tailored care and practical strategies for managing multiple drug use, considering patients' unique experiences and needs.