Abstract

IDENTIFICATION OF GERIATRIC PATIENTS WHO WILL POTENTIALLY BENEFIT FROM MEDICAL CARE, THERAPEUTIC DRUG MONITORING AND PHARMACEUTICAL CARE INTERVENTIONS IN RENAL, ENDOCRINE AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES

John David Ohieku*, Ibrahim Ummatte, Bilkisu M. Mubi, Charles O. Anjori, Roland N. Okoro, Nasiru Y. Ikunaiye, Mojim Bukar and Yahaya Mohammed Katagum

ABSTRACT

The Problems that are linked with drug therapy affect patients of all age strata but the elderly appeared to be the worst affected owing to their multiple medications usage occasioned by their multiple illnesses and their long stay on health commodities. It is desirable to constantly monitor the medications use in the geriatric population and to identify areas of pharmaceutical care needs so as to carry out interventions that will prevent medication harm and promote longevity and quality of life. This study is aimed at identifying geriatric patients who would potentially benefit from clinical outcomes of therapeutic drug monitoring and pharmaceutical care intervention owing to the complexity of the medication use in the geriatric population. The study design was prospective. The mean age was 62.54 ± 5.42 years for all subjects. About 29 % of the geriatric had informal education while only 14 % had tertiary education. The number of married subjects in the study was 69(75 %) with 13(14.1 %) others in the widow categories. The body mass index (BMI) indicated an underweight in 12.3 % proportion with 10.9% having varying degrees of obesity. The uric acid concentrations of 63.3 % of the patients were higher than the normal range while proteinuria was observed in 29.3 % of patients. The fasting glucose concentrations were normal in 46.7 % patients but in diabetic range in 38.0 % patients. The systolic blood pressure status of 43.5 % of the patients was high (being in stages I or II hypertension) and the diastolic blood pressure of 34 (34.8 %) patients were similarly at the hypertensive range. The low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) levels were higher than normal in 8.0 % patients. Many parameters including elevated body mass index (BMI) and systolic blood pressure (SBP), uric acid and creatinine concentrations, proteinuria, fasting plasma glucose, and high LDLC having the potential to enhance negative treatment outcomes would require collaboration of care by our team of specialists. Furthermore, therapeutic drug monitoring and/or pharmaceutical care services will be helpful among the geriatrics.

Keywords: Geriatric patients, therapeutic drug monitoring, pharmaceutical care intervention, renal, endocrine, cardiovascular diseases.