OBJECTIVES: Diet and exercise along with the pharmacological treatment are required for an adequate control of blood pressure among hypertensive patients. The aim of this study is to identify the drug treatments prescribed and attitudes and factors associated with the adherence to these indications.  METHODS: Socio-demographic and drug treatment information of hypertensive patients aged 20 years and older was obtained from an institutional health survey, Encoprevenimss 2010. Statistical relationships between socio-demographic variables and adherence to diet and exercise were tested. Two binary logistic regression models were constructed to measure the impact of personal attitudes and social and demographic variables on the decision of the patient whether to follow these recommendations.   RESULTS: Captopril was the leading prescribed drug (31.63%), followed by enalapril (22.45%) and metopropol (13.58%). The main combination of drugs recommended was captopril with metopropol. Additionally to the pharmacological treatment, 32.47% and 23.59% of the patients reported full adherence to the diet and exercise indications respectively, 24.04% and 15.78% partially complied and 11.03% and 16.63% did not comply. At 5% level of significance, statistically significant relationships were found between diet and exercise with gender (p-vale=0.007, p-value= 0.000), as well as with age groups (p-value= 0.000). The results from the logistic regressions show that patients with lack of interest about the importance of diet and exercise in their treatment are less likely to adhere to these recommendations. Furthermore individuals that have their blood pressure monthly monitored compared with those who make it annually, are two times more likely to comply with diet and 1.25 times with exercise. Patients at a higher level of education and at older ages have a greater probability to follow these indications.   CONCLUSIONS: Health campaigns and programs to encourage patients to monitor frequently their blood pressure are desirable in order to improve compliance to non-pharmacological suggestions.