Adherence to programs for the control of chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCDs), such as arterial hypertension, is a problem that negatively affects the results of the surveillance of such diseases and the factors with which it is related are unknown. To establish this relationship, a cross-sectional study was carried out in a random sample (95% confidence level, 5% error) of 295 users of two programs in the department of Caldas. The Morinsky test was used to measure adherence, a survey and a record sheet for demographic and socioeconomic factors, satisfaction with health services, perception of the quality of care by medical personnel, and knowledge about the disease. Average adherence was 45% in the two municipalities. Statistically significant differences were observed between adherent and non-adherent users in knowledge about the disease. Such knowledge constitutes protective or risk factors for adherence. Considering that the treatments are carried out if the tension figures are high is a protective factor, in the adherents (OR 0.263; CI = .08-0.83) in Viterbo. Not so the relevance given to drug treatment, which constitutes a risk factor for non-adherents (OR 3.8; CI 1.9-6.5). In La Dorada, the risk for not adhering to the program is that hypertension can be controlled with diet, exercise and medication (OR 1.8; CI 1.56-2.11) and that the treatments are only carried out if the tension is calculated are high (OR 3.8; CI 1.02-13.83).