The objective was to describe the barriers faced by people with hypertension for non compliance to treatment and control the levels of blood pressure. This is a transversal and descriptive study which was carried out in 6 basic health units in Fortaleza-Ceará, Brazil. The population consisted of 246 people enrolled in the program to Control Hypertension for at least a year. Data were collected using a structured interview and electronic chart. Of them, 69 showed normal blood pressure levels. The main barriers discovered were: poor financial condition, continuous treatment with many medicines and practice physical activity. It was concluded that barriers to the anti-hypertensive treatment include the sick people, their environment and their access to health care.
nursing; hypertension; treatment
