Pharmacists? role in the post-discharge management of patients with heart failure: a literature review

Abstract

This review has demonstrated the effectiveness of pharmacists' interventions to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with heart failure. However, there is an on-going need for the development and evaluation of pharmacy services for these patients.

Hjertepasienter tar ikke medisiner riktig

“…Tiltak rettet mot helsevesenet dreier seg om å informere helsepersonell bedre om etterlevelse, å forskrive langtidsvirkende medikamenter (7) og å redusere doseringsfrekvens (7,14). Å involvere farmasøyt har også vist seg å vaere effektivt og anbefales som en del av tverrfaglig oppfølging hos denne pasientgruppen (24).…”

“…Det anbefales også at farmasøyt involveres i oppfølgingen av hjertesviktpasienter (24). Dette kan bidra til å øke pasienters kunnskap om medikamenter, sikre optimalisering av behandlingen og redusere fare for bivirkninger (4).…”

Should Hospital Pharmacists Provide Postdischarge Follow-Up Care to High-Risk Patients?

“…8 Similarly, a retrospective cohort study reviewing the role of a pharmacist in transition to home showed that the odds of readmission within 30 days were reduced by half in the pharmacist follow-up group. 9 More specifically, patients who received assistance from a pharmacist during their transition back to home, including follow-up phone calls, had a readmission rate of 5% compared with 9.5% in the usual care group. 9 The readmission rates in this study were lower than what many others have reported, which suggests that a lower-risk group might have been included as the study population.…”

“…9 More specifically, patients who received assistance from a pharmacist during their transition back to home, including follow-up phone calls, had a readmission rate of 5% compared with 9.5% in the usual care group. 9 The readmission rates in this study were lower than what many others have reported, which suggests that a lower-risk group might have been included as the study population. [1][2][3] As such, it can be postulated that a greater absolute benefit might be seen in a higher-risk population.…”

“…Although there has been significant variability in the pharmacist-driven interventions considered in the literature, there is a common trend that includes patient follow-up. 8,9 The REACT study, a Canadian randomized trial, investigated the benefits of a support program that included postdischarge follow-up by hospital-based pharmacists for patients with heart failure. The results of this study showed significant reductions in both emergency department visits for cardiovascular issues and hospitalization days.…”