In a program to control costs associated with hypertension, which intervention best aligns with tertiary prevention?

• A. Walking program for employees with hypertension
• B. Medication Adherence Program
• C. Dietary Counseling Program
• D. Office-based Screening Program

Answer: (B)

Tertiary prevention focuses on reducing complications and disability once a disease is established. For hypertension, the goal is to prevent end-organ damage and cardiovascular events in people who already have high blood pressure. The Medication Adherence Program directly keeps blood pressure under control by ensuring patients take their medications as prescribed, which lowers the risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, and heart failure. This direct action on outcomes in those with established hypertension makes it the most aligned with tertiary prevention.

Walking programs and dietary counseling help with risk reduction and overall management, but they’re not as specifically targeted at preventing disease-related complications once hypertension is present. Office-based screening aims to detect disease, not to prevent its complications in those already diagnosed.