Long-term continuous exposure to potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) can lead to adverse events in the elderly. However, the effects of long-term exposure of the elderly to PIM and the relationship between PIM and chronic diseases remain unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the continuous use of PIMs in a community-dwelling elderly population. A cross-sectional population-based study was conducted using community pharmacy–filed dispensing records from the Hcare system. Twenty-three community pharmacies were sampled from 2013 to 2015 to obtain records of patients above 65 years-old with continuous prescriptions. PIM were identified according to the 2015 Beers Criteria. The prevalence of patients using PIM was highest in patients with co-morbid mental disorders (40.05%), followed by neurological system disorders (28.91%). Patients who were prescribed a PIM were more than three times as likely to have a mental disorder as those (odds ratio 3.16, 95% confidence interval: 3.06–3.28) with non-chronic diseases. The most prescribed PIM agents were central nervous system drugs (53.16%), and benzodiazepines (35.15%). Patients with mental disorders had the highest rate of long-term persistent PIM exposure, with benzodiazepines being the most frequently dispensed. Drug safety concerns should be closely monitored in elderly patients with the abovementioned conditions.

Patients with high healthcare utilization are at increased risk of polypharmacy and drug interactions. This study investigated the changes in the number of medications, drug interactions and interaction severity in high frequency outpatients with polypharmacy at hospitals and clinics in Taiwan after home pharmaceutical care, to understand the effectiveness of interventions by pharmacists. This was a retrospective observational study. Cases with excessive polypharmacy (10+ drugs) were selected from the Pharmaceutical Care Practice System database of the Taiwan Pharmacist Association in 2017. After the home care intervention, the number of drug types used decreased 1.89-fold (p < 0.001), and the number of medications fell 61.6%. The incidence of drug interaction was 93.82%. In an average case, the incidence of drug interaction after the pharmacist intervention decreased 0.6-fold (p < 0.001). The drug most commonly causing interactions was aspirin, followed by diclofenac; also common were three used in diabetes, two psycholeptics and two beta blockers. Among 22 cases of severe drug interaction, seven resulted in increased risk of extrapyramidal symptoms and neuroleptic malignant syndrome. By analyzing the relationship between the side effects of individual drugs and the pharmacokinetic Tmax, a sequential thermal zone model of adverse drug reactions can be established, the value of which could prompt physicians and pharmacists to intervene in order to prevent adverse events. It is concluded that home pharmaceutical care by pharmacists can significantly reduce the number of medications and interactions in patients with excessive polypharmacy and high healthcare utilization.

Taiwan offers affordable access to health care through the National Health Insurance (NHI) Program, but this increases the risk of waste of medications and pollution caused by improper disposal. This research aimed to: (1) understand methods of disposal of unused medications, and public awareness of related issues, (2) understand the sources and types of unused medications and reasons for their disposal, and (3) propose improvements to current disposal practices. Data on practices and perspectives on the disposal of medications were collected from members of the public using a questionnaire, and subjected to chi-square analysis of demographic variables. The survey found that many respondents disposed of medications inappropriately, but most believed the government should establish a return system. The majority of discarded medications came from hospitals, and were most frequently discarded because patients had forgotten to take them. Based on these findings, the study proposes that receiving stations be established across Taiwan for the safe and environmentally friendly disposal of unused medications, along with a system of monthly checks and compensation for pharmacists' costs. The study also suggests that pharmacists strengthen medication guidance, spend more time on medication counseling, better understand the reasons for medication waste, and offer health education and advice to physicians and the public.

BackgroundPharmaceutical care provided by well‐educated clinical pharmacists improves the safety and effectiveness of health care, especially regarding medication use, and can thus save costs.AimsThe aim of this study is to illustrate the implementation of the reimbursement policy of National Health Insurance for pharmaceutical care in Taiwan, to determine its influences on current health care practices, and to evaluate the quantity of pharmacy interventions.Materials & MethodsThe inclusion criteria for this study were qualified pharmacists working in intensive care units (ICUs) at medical centers and regional hospitals or in clinics at district hospitals who provided pharmaceutical care services. Details of the pharmaceutical care they provided—including pharmacy notes (in the subjective, objective, assessment, and plan sequence), intervention type, and acceptance by physicians—were uploaded and documented via an online virtual private network platform, from which data were later collected and analyzed.ResultsDuring the first quarter of 2019, a total of 260 pharmacists were included in the analysis, 109 of whom were from medical centers, 94 from regional hospitals, and 57 from district hospitals. The total person‐days of pharmaceutical care during the study period was 12 158 for medical centers, 7090 for regional hospitals, and 757 for district hospitals. The acceptance rates of the doctors were 98.3%, 89.5%, and 90.5% for medical centers, regional hospitals, and district hospitals, respectively.DiscussionThe cost savings of pharmaceutical care was estimated by adverse drug events (ADEs) avoidance based on an average prolonged ICU stay of 2 days per ADE. Pharmaceutical care in ICUs resulted in a savings of 57 931 710 New Taiwan Dollars during the study period, with a cost‐benefit ratio of 13.7.ConculsionBased on the cost effectiveness of pharmaceutical care in early 2019, the program should be reserved and expanded to different settings, and it will hopefully become an essential service provided by pharmacists in Taiwan.

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