Abstract

DRUG RELATED PROBLEMS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC DISEASE IN DAKSHINA KANNADA - ASSESSED AND IDENTIFIED BY A COMMUNITY BASED STUDY

Niveditha T.V.*, Abhishek Pradhan, A.R. Shabaraya, Ambika V., Chinju Jose, Shwetha N.

ABSTRACT

Drug related problems can be defined as an incident or circumstances involving drug therapy that actually or potentially interferes with desired health outcomes. Due to the oblivion of Doctors regarding the matters concerning the improper medications taken by the patients and the reasons including concealment of over the counter drugs. There is relative lack of information and poor documentation about drug related problems in the community which may be because of gaps in the continuity of the pharmaceutical care so a community based observational study was carried out in different parts of Dakshina Kannada District to assess and identify the drug related problems using Hepler and Strand classification. It was conducted with duration of six months from October2019- March2020. 150 patients with chronic diseases have been enrolled during this period. Patients aged below 18 years old, pregnant and lactating women and patients diagnosed with psychiatric illness were excluded from this study. A specially designed data collection form used for reviewing the patients. Out of 150 patients, 82 patients were found to have DRPs. A total of 121 DRPs where found from the above 82. Intervention of Pharmacist is gives an ethereal span of collectivity and provides better health care for the prevention of DRPs. Pharmaceutical care can be implemented in different stages of health care, pharmaceutical care identifies resolves the potential DRPs.

Keywords: drug related problems, improper medication, and pharmaceutical care, healthcare.