The Role of Community Pharmacists in the Detection of Clinically Relevant Drug-Related Problems in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients

Identifying Medication Review Topics to Be Documented in a Structured Form in Electronic Health Record Systems: Delphi Consensus Survey

BACKGROUND

Poor data transfer and interoperability between electronic health record (EHR) systems has been a challenge hindering availability and usability of patient information in clinical practice and evidence-based decision-making. To improve data transfer and interoperability, patient information should be documented in a structured format. This also applies to medication-related patient information and results of the interventions, such as medication reviews (MRs), to individually optimize medication regimens, especially in older adults.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to identify what information obtained from MRs should be documented in a structured form in EHRs at a national and organizational level.

METHODS

The study was conducted as a 3-round Delphi consensus survey in 2020. The electronic survey was based on a comprehensive inventory of international and national MR procedures in various settings. Expert panelists (N=41) independently assessed which topics should be documented in a structured form in EHRs. The interprofessional panel (N=41) consisted of 12 physicians, 13 pharmacists, 10 nurses, and 6 information management professionals (participation rate 66%-76% in rounds 1-3; consensus limit set at 80%). The responses were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively.

RESULTS

Consensus was reached on 97.3% (108/111) of predetermined topics to be documented in a structured form in EHRs. Of these, 39 concerned the MR process, 25 related to potentially drug-induced symptoms, 11 related to burden of risks for adverse drug effects, 12 related to laboratory tests and other test results, 12 related to medication adherence, and 9 related to the use of intoxicants. The patient's blood pressure (mean 4.85, SD 0.53; on a Likert scale 1-5), kidney function (mean 4.81, SD 0.56), and risk of bleeding (mean 4.81, SD 0.56) were ranked as the 3 most important topics to be documented in a structured form. The panel reached a consensus that the information obtained from MRs should be made available to all health care professionals in the national digital repository for patient data and to patients to some extent.

CONCLUSIONS

The interprofessional expert panel strongly agreed on the results of the MRs that should be documented in a structured form in EHRs and made available to both health professionals involved in care teams and patients themselves.

Optimizing Finerenone in People With Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease: An Opportunity for the Pharmacist

Objective: This review aims to emphasize the role of pharmacists for optimization of evidence-based outcomes of finerenone in multidisciplinary kidney care teams during the early detection process of CKD patients. Data Sources: A PubMed literature search was performed using keywords pharmacists, chronic kidney disease (CKD), type 2 diabetes (T2D), and finerenone. Study Selection and Data Extraction: All English-language studies on the role of pharmacists in managing CKD patients or finerenone prescriptions were evaluated. Data Synthesis: CKD is a major health problem affecting millions worldwide, especially those with T2D. In recent years, new drugs have been added to the treatment options for patients with T2D and CKD, which have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular and renal complications in large clinical trials. Conclusions: Pharmacists can help detect and treat CKD in patients with T2D. They may use indicators to identify potential candidates for appropriate finerenone therapy, such as stage of CKD, albuminuria level, serum potassium concentration, and use of RAAS inhibitors. Pharmacists can provide education on the benefits and usage of finerenone, monitor response to therapy, adjust the medications and doses, prevent drug interactions, help with adherence and tolerability issues, and coordinate with other healthcare providers.

Medications for community pharmacists to dose adjust or avoid to enhance prescribing safety in individuals with advanced chronic kidney disease: a scoping review and modified Delphi

BACKGROUND

Community pharmacists commonly see individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and are in an ideal position to mitigate harm from inappropriate prescribing. We sought to develop a relevant medication list for community pharmacists to dose adjust or avoid in individuals with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) below 30 mL/min informed through a scoping review and modified Delphi panel of nephrology, geriatric and primary care pharmacists.

METHODS

A scoping review was undertaken to identify higher risk medications common to community pharmacy practice, which require a dose adaptation in individuals with advanced CKD. A 3-round modified Delphi was conducted, informed by the medications identified in our scoping review, to establish consensus on which medications community pharmacists should adjust or avoid in individuals with stage 4 and 5 CKD (non-dialysis).

RESULTS

Ninety-two articles and 88 medications were identified from our scoping review. Of which, 64 were deemed relevant to community pharmacy practice and presented for consideration to 27 panel experts. The panel consisted of Canadian pharmacists practicing in nephrology (66.7%), geriatrics (18.5%) and primary care (14.8%). All participants completed rounds 1 and 2 and 96% completed round 3. At the end of round 3, the top 40 medications to adjust or avoid were identified. All round 3 participants selected metformin, gabapentin, pregabalin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, nitrofurantoin, ciprofloxacin and rivaroxaban as the top ranked medications.

CONCLUSION

Medications eliminated by the kidneys may accumulate and cause harm in individuals with advanced chronic kidney disease. This study provides an expert consensus of the top 40 medications that community pharmacists should collaboratively adjust or avoid to enhance medication safety and prescribing for individuals with an eGFR below 30 mL/min.

Risk Characterization in Patients Using Benzodiazepines While Providing Pharmaceutical Care Dispensing Service

BACKGROUND

Tolerance and dependence stand out as the most relevant risks observed during benzodiazepine (BZD) treatments.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the degree of dependence of patients on BZD treatments using the Tyrer test; to define a profile of patients at risk of developing BZD dependence; and to discuss the role of the pharmaceutical care offered by the community pharmacy during dispensing.

METHODS

Prospective cross-sectional descriptive observational study (August 2020-February 2021) involving 127 patients using BZD. They voluntarily answered a questionnaire during the dispensing pharmaceutical care service. The study was evaluated and codified (code: DAA-CLO-2020-01) by the Spanish Agency for Drugs and Health Products (AEMPS), and statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 25.0.

RESULTS

19.05% of patients using BZD were suspected of suffering from BZD tolerance, and 77.88% of all patients were identified as being at a high risk of BZD dependence. The Tyrer test for dependence indicated a mean score of 5.59 out of 13 points. An 18-fold increased risk of developing dependence was detected in the case of coexistence of high anxiety or depression.

CONCLUSIONS

The community pharmacy, through protocolized care practices and supported by tools such as the Tyrer test, can play a decisive role in the detection, prevention, and resolution of the risks associated with BZD treatments.

Optimizing Collaborative Care of Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease Associated with Type 2 Diabetes: An Example Practice Model at a Health Care Practice in Kentucky, United States

Suboptimal multidisciplinary team collaboration is a barrier to effective health care provision for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We describe an example practice model of a clinical practice called Baptist Health Deaconess, based in Madisonville, Kentucky, USA, where a small multidisciplinary team consisting of an endocrinologist, nurse practitioner, and pharmacist (authors of this article) work collaboratively in an ambulatory care setting to provide health care to the patients they serve. Many of the patients who receive care at Baptist Health Deaconess are on a low income, have poor health literacy, and do not have a primary care physician. The presence of a pharmacist in the team allows for insurance/access investigations to assess drug choice and affordability; such aspects can be performed quickly with a pharmacist in the office.

Drug-related problems and associated factors among patients with kidney dysfunction at a tertiary hospital in southwestern Uganda: a prospective observational study

BACKGROUND

Kidney dysfunction is a common, progressive condition that is increasingly becoming a global public health issue. Because the kidneys are the major route for drug excretion, impaired renal function can change the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs that are renally excreted. Additionally, patients with kidney dysfunction often have co-morbidities and the associated use of multiple medications which increases the risk of drug-related problem (DRP) occurrence. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, types, and factors associated with DRPs in patients with kidney dysfunction.

METHOD

We conducted a prospective observational study over 3 months among hospitalized patients diagnosed with acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease who were hospitalized in the medical ward, and patients attending the renal outpatient clinic at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital. A total of 183 participants were enrolled through the use of a consecutive sampling technique. DRPs were classified according to the PCNE classification version 9.1. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS version 25.

RESULTS

A total of 174 patients with kidney dysfunction were included in the study with a mean ± SD age of 50.34 ± 18.13 years. A total of 219 DRPs were incurred by 138 (79.3%) study participants. The most common DRPs were 'Untreated symptoms or indication' (35.6%) followed by 'adverse event (possibly) occurring' (28.3%), and 'effect of drug treatment not optimal' (23.3%). Antimicrobials were the most involved drugs in suboptimal drug treatment (31.3%) and unnecessary drug treatment (32.1%). The study showed that length of hospital stay ≥ 5 days (AOR = 6.39, 95% CI: 1.75-23.27; p-value = 0.005) significantly increased the risk of DRP occurrence.

CONCLUSION

The current results, in agreement with previous literature, showed a high burden of DRPs among patients with kidney dysfunction. Antimicrobials were the most involved drugs in suboptimal as well as in unnecessary drug treatment. Longer hospital stay significantly increased the risk of DRPs. The high prevalence of DRPs in patients with kidney dysfunction and the potential impact on antimicrobial resistance underscores the importance of regular medication reviews and close monitoring of patients with renal dysfunction.

Renally inappropriate medications in elderly outpatients and inpatients with an impaired renal function

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in the frequency of renally inappropriate medications (RIMs) in outpatient and inpatient among three institutions.

METHODS

We collected prescription and renal function data for patients over 65 years of age from the drug department system. We selected 50 kinds of the most frequently used medicines which require dose adjustment according to a patient's renal function.

RESULTS

Outpatient RIM was seen in 611 cases (6.17%), and inpatient prescription RIM was seen in 317 cases (5.29%), showing a significant difference between the groups (odds ratio [OR] 1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-1.35). However, in a multivariate analysis, when the renal function was included, that difference between outpatients and inpatients became insignificant (OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.98-1.37). The distribution of prescription with or without RIM in outpatient and inpatient settings depended on the CKD stage. Outpatients with a better CKD stage (stage 1-3) had a higher rate of RIM than inpatients, while patients with a worse CKD stage (stage 4 or 5) had a higher rate of RIM than outpatients.

CONCLUSION

The rate of RIM in outpatients tends to be high, and attention should be paid to RIM in inpatients with a severe CKD stage.

Clinical and Organizational Impacts of Medical Ordering Settings on Patient Pathway and Community Pharmacy Dispensing Process: The Prospective ORDHOSPIVILLE Study

During the dispensing process of medical orders (MOs), community pharmacists (CPs) can manage drug-related problems (DRPs) by performing pharmacist interventions (PIs). There is little evidence that the PI rate is higher with MOs from hospitals (MOHs) than ambulatory (MOAs) settings, and their impact on the patient and community pharmacy is unknown. The primary objective of this study was to compare the MOH and MOA PI rates. The secondary objective was to describe PIs and their clinical and organizational impacts on patient and community pharmacy workflow. A total of 120 CPs participated in a prospective study. Each CP included 10 MOH and 10 MOA between January and June 2020. DRP and PI description and clinical and organizational impacts between MOH and MOA were assessed and compared. We analyzed 2325 MOs. PIs were significantly more frequent in MOH than in MOA (9.7% versus 4.7%; p < 0.001). The most reported PI was the difficulty of contacting hospital prescribers (n = 45; 52.2%). MOHs were associated with a longer dispensing process time and a greater impact on patient pathway and community pharmacy workflow than MOAs. Lack of communication between hospital and primary care settings partly explains the results. Implementation of clinical pharmacy activities at patient discharge could alleviate these impacts.

Pharmacists’ strategies to detect, resolve, and prevent DRPs in CKD patients

Pharmacists have undergone obstacles in the process of detecting, resolving, and preventing CKD patients’ DRPs. Thus, optimal strategies were needed. A total of 19 articles were included based on the article searching process. Based on the articles, it can be concluded: The strategies of detecting DRPs in CKD patients were carried out through medication reconciliation and medication review. The outcomes of these strategies were the number of DRPs/patients and types of DRPs detected. Strategies to resolve and prevent DRPs in CKD patients were conducted through interprofessional collaboration, education, and counselling. The outcome of these strategies was a change in the patients’ DRPs status. Optimization of detection, resolution, and prevention strategies were performed by improving pharmacists’ professional hard and soft-skills as well as modifying the pharmaceutical care delivery model. A decrease in the number of DRPs/patients and a change in DRPs status were reported as the outcomes of optimizing this process.