Prevalence of drug therapy problems among patients in medical ward at university of Ilorin teaching hospital, Ilorin.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Drug therapy problems (DTP) may occur more frequently in hospitalized patients where multiple changes in patient’s medication regimens are common. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and characterize the pattern of DTPs among renal, cardiovascular and neurologic in-patients in the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital from June to October, 2017. A prospective cross-sectional study among 127 institutionalized patients (age, 58.1±15.9) with cardiovascular, renal and neurologic diseases, who were recruited from the medical ward of University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital. A validated questionnaire was used to capture information on socio-demographics, while CORE PRIME FARM Model and the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe (PCNE) Version 8.0 were used as a guide for the detection and evaluation of DTPs in individual patient. Blood sample was collected by a trained phlebotomist into a yellow vacutainer, and directly sent to PATHCARE® lab daily for calculation of estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) and serum creatinine. Response rate was (116/127) 91.3%. The overall prevalence of DTPs among patients were in the order of renal (30; 25.8%), neurologic (40; 34.5%) and cardiovascular (46; 39.7%) diseases. Specific DTP identified in respect of each disease included dosing problems: renal (35.9%), neurologic (35.9%), cardiovascular (40.7%); prescribed drugs unavailable: renal (36.3%), neurologic (36.3%), cardiovascular (37.3%); and drug interaction: renal (26.5%), cardiovascular (26.0%) and neurologic (24.1%). Prevalence of DTPs among the studied in-patients is moderately high, with dosing problem constituting the single most commonly recurrent DTP across the three disease conditions. This largely underscores a need for increased attention to precise dosing schedule and timing for a better therapeutic outcome among patients.