ASSESSMENT OF DRUG RELATED PROBLEMS IN STROKE PATIENTS

Abstract

Drug related problems represent the categorization and definition of clinical problems related to the use of medications in the field of pharmaceutical care. Drug related problems can occur at any stage of prescribing, dispensing and administration of drugs. Hence, it is necessary to identify and resolve the drug related problems to improve the patient's safety, therapeutic outcomes and patient quality of life. The objectives are to study the occurrence, types and clinical significance of drug related problems in stroke patients and to evaluate whether the drugs are prescribed according to the guidelines. Methodology: A prospective study was conducted in the neurology ward of a tertiary care hospital from August 2018 to January 2019 i.e., six months. Necessary demographic and clinical data was collected. The treatment data was analyzed to determine the occurrence, types and clinical significance of DRP’s in stroke patients. Results: Among 201 patients, 163 DRP’s were identified and frequency of occurrence of DRP is 0.8 per patient. The highly reported drug related problem was drug interactions (42.2%) followed by untreated condition and patient non-compliance. Conclusion: Identification of drug related problems may improve the therapeutic outcomes in stroke patients. Developing and adopting policies regarding the drug administration, dispensing and prescribing would minimize the drug related problems in stroke patients. Participation of clinical pharmacists in patient care was proven to improve patient’s quality of life, while decreasing DRP’s by continuous monitoring.