Abstract

EVALUATION OF DRUG THERAPY PROBLEMS IN INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENTS OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL: A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Afshan Mahweesh*, Vinodkumar Mugada, Sravya Penumatsa, Abdul Rasheed and Sai Sindhuja

ABSTRACT

A drug therapy problem (DTP) is “any undesirable event experienced by a patient which involves, or is suspected to involve drug therapy and that interferes with achieving the desired goals of therapy.” DTP can occur at all steps of the treatment process, mainly during prescribing, transcribing, dispensing and patient use of medication therapy. Appropriate drug therapy is cost-effective and may actually serve to reduce total expenditures by decreasing the need for surgery, preventing hospital admissions, and shortening hospital stay. Resolving as well as preventing the occurrence of DTPs among patients has tremendous positive impact on improving clinical, humanistic and economic outcomes of the patients. So the study aims at evaluating drug therapy problems at a tertiary care hospital. The identification of DTP was based on the review of patients’ medical and medication records, assessment of laboratory investigations, patient’s interview about medication experience, and physical observation. DTPs were evaluated by assessing Indication, Effectiveness, Safety & Compliance. It was observed that majority of the patients experienced at least one drug therapy problem during their hospital visit with the most commonly observed DTP being adverse drug reaction due to undesirable effect of drug. Clinicians are not well aware of the consequences of DTP and their contributing factors. Early identification of types of DTPs and factors associated to them is essential for optimization of disease management and can also enable the practitioner in collaboration with the patient to construct a better care plan by designing preventive strategies of DTP.

Keywords: Drug therapy problem, Adverse drug reaction, Drug interactions, Polypharmacy, Comorbidity.