Warfarin therapy can significantly affect patients' quality of life and cause therapy discontinuation. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the pharmacists' interventions on the ...health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in older rural patients on warfarin therapy. Eligible older patients from rural area of Croatian province Slavonia were randomized into the intervention and control groups and followed for six months. Repeated education and a follow-up plan were provided to the participants in the intervention group, and if needed, the pharmacist intervened to optimize warfarin therapy. Secondary analysis on HRQoL data are presented here. Main outcome measure was Duke anticoagulation satisfactions scale questionnaire score. In total, 131 participants finished the study (median age 73 years; 51.1% male). Participants in the intervention group scored significantly lower (median being 86.5 and 66.0 in the control and intervention groups, respectively; p < 0,001), indicating higher HRQoL. Adverse drug reactions and pharmacist's intervention were identified as predictive factors for patients' HRQoL (r
= 65.5%, P < 0.001). The study demonstrated that community pharmacist's interventions can improve HRQoL of older patients taking warfarin what is of particular significance for patients living in rural areas with less accessible healthcare and lower socio-economic status.Clinicaltrials.gov (ID: NCT03212898), 11/07/2017, retrospectively registered.
Background
Community pharmacists can play an important role in optimizing warfarin treatment, which is very important in vulnerable patient groups such as the elderly patients in rural areas.
...Objective
To evaluate the impact of a community pharmacist’s interventions on the quality of anticoagulation in elderly rural patients receiving warfarin.
Setting
A community pharmacy in Donji Miholjac in Croatia’s province of Slavonia.
Method
We conducted a prospective randomized trial. Eligible patients were recruited at the pharmacy and randomized into two groups. All participants were followed up monthly for a period of 6 months. Repeated education and a follow up plan were provided to the participants in the intervention group, and their general practitioners were contacted to correct the warfarin dose or to avoid drug interactions.
Main outcome measure
Time in therapeutic range (TTR) calculated by the Rosendaal method.
Results
A total of 140 patients were randomized and 131 patients finished the study, 65 patients in the intervention group. Median age was 73 years. At the end of the follow-up period, the median TTR was significantly higher in the intervention group (93 vs. 31.2% for intervention and control, respectively;
P
< 0.001). The proportion of patients with TTR ≥ 65% was also significantly higher in the intervention group (86.2 vs. 7.6% for intervention and control, respectively;
P
< 0.001). Factors independently associated with TTR ≥ 65% were intervention (
P
< 0.001), less frequent dose change (
P
= 0.005), better adherence (
P
< 0.001) and less variable vitamin K intake (
P
= 0.010).
Transfer of care is a sensitive process, especially for the elderly. Polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs), drug-drug interactions (DDIs), and renal risk drugs (RRDs) are ...important issues in the elderly. The aim of the study was to expand the use of the Best Possible Medication History (BPMH) and to evaluate polypharmacy, PIMs, DDIs, and inappropriately prescribed RRDs on hospital admission, as well as to determine their mutual relationship and association with patients’ characteristics. An observational prospective study was conducted at the Internal Medicine Clinic of Clinical Hospital Dubrava. The study included 383 elderly patients. Overall, 49.9% of patients used 5−9 prescription medications and 31.8% used 10 or more medications. EU(7)-PIMs occurred in 80.7% (n = 309) of the participants. In total, 90.6% of participants had ≥1 potential DDI. In total, 43.6% of patients were found to have estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, of which 64.7% of patients had one or more inappropriately prescribed RRDs. The clinical pharmacist detected a high incidence of polypharmacy, PIMs, DDIs, and inappropriately prescribed RRDs on hospital admission. This study highlights the importance of early detection of pharmacotherapy problems by using the BPMH in order to prevent their circulation during a hospital stay. The positive correlations between polypharmacy, PIMs, DDIs, and inappropriately prescribed RRDs indicate that they are not independent, but rather occur simultaneously.
Background
Adverse reactions to warfarin may be serious and can lead to hospitalisation or death. Minimising the risk of adverse drug reactions through the intervention of community pharmacists is ...important for patients receiving warfarin, especially for elderly (≥ 65 years) patients living in rural areas.
Objective
To evaluate the impact of an intervention by community pharmacists on the risk of adverse drug reactions in elderly rural patients receiving warfarin. Setting: A community pharmacy in a rural area of Croatia.
Method
We conducted a prospective randomised trial. Eligible patients were recruited at the pharmacy and randomised into one of two groups. The participants were followed up every month for 6 months. Main outcome measure: The incidence and type of adverse drug reactions caused by warfarin and the time-to-event.
Results
In total, 140 patients were randomized and 131 patients completed the study; 65 patients were in the intervention group. The median age of patients was 73 years of age. The cumulative incidence of adverse drug reactions was significantly lower in the intervention group (6-months rate 29% vs. 85% for intervention and control, respectively; hazard ratio = 0.17,
p
< 0.001) than in the control group. Factors multivariately associated with the development of adverse drug reactions related to warfarin (
p
< 0.05) were the absence of pharmaceutical intervention, higher time in therapeutic range, change of warfarin dose, changes in dietary vitamin K intake, and marital status other than married.
Conclusion
Overall, the pharmacist’s intervention significantly prolonged the time to occurrence of adverse drug reactions and reduced their incidence.
Clinical pharmacy as an area of practice, education and research started developing around the 1960s when pharmacists across the globe gradually identified the need to focus more on ensuring the ...appropriate use of medicines to improve patient outcomes rather than being engaged in manufacturing and supply. Since that time numerous studies have shown the positive impact of clinical pharmacy services (CPS). The need for wider adoption of CPS worldwide becomes urgent, as the global population ages, and the prevalence of polypharmacy as well as shortage of healthcare professionals is rising. At the same time, there is great pressure to provide both high-quality and cost-effective health services. All these challenges urgently require the adoption of a new paradigm of healthcare system architecture. One of the most appropriate answers to these challenges is to increase the utilization of the potential of highly educated and skilled professionals widely available in these countries, i.e., pharmacists, who are well positioned to prevent and manage drug-related problems together with ensuring safe and effective use of medications with further care relating to medication adherence. Unfortunately, CPS are still underdeveloped and underutilized in some parts of Europe, namely, in most of the Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. This paper reviews current situation of CPS development in CEE countries and the prospects for the future of CPS in that region.
Objective To assess the incidence and type of potential, clinically significant drug-drug interactions in elderly outpatients with arterial hypertension. Setting Three community pharmacies in ...Croatia. Method Eligible patients were aged 65 or older, treated for arterial hypertension and received 2 or more drugs. Potential interactions were identified by Lexi-Interact software. The software categorized each potential interaction according to clinical significance in five groups: (A) No known interaction; (B) Specified agents may interact, but there is little to no evidence of clinical concern; (C) Specified agents may interact in a clinically significant manner. Monitoring therapy is suggested; (D) The two medications may interact in a clinically significant manner. Modification of therapy is suggested; (X) Contraindicated combination. Interactions of level C, D and X were considered clinically significant. Main outcome measure The incidence and type of potential drug-drug interactions. Results There were 265 patients included in the study. Potential, clinically significant drug interactions were identified in 240 (90.6%) patients, out of which 97.9% had interactions with clinical significance C, 20.4% D, and 0.8% X. The median number of drug interactions per patient was 4. We identified 215 drug combinations with the potential to cause clinically significant interaction, out of which 83.3% had clinical significance C, 16.3% clinical significance D, and 0.4% clinical significance X. Conclusion Drug-drug interactions are common in elderly hypertensive patients. Computer-based screening could help pharmacists and physicians to recognize potential, clinically significant interactions.
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