A pharmacy medication alert system based on renal function in older patients.

BACKGROUND Patients with diabetes or cardiovascular disease are at risk of reduced renal function and frequently use drugs that interact with renal function. GPs monitor renal function in these patients. Computerised prescription systems produce alerts in patients labelled as having chronic kidney disease, but alerts are often ignored. If pharmacists use a pharmacy medication alert system (PMAS) based on renal function, they can provide the GP with therapeutic advice to optimise the medication. The extent of this advice and the feasibility in the clinical context are unknown. AIM To assess the therapeutic advice formulated by pharmacists with help of a PMAS based on the renal function of patients aged ≥70 years with diabetes or cardiovascular disease. DESIGN AND SETTING Observational study in primary health care in the Netherlands. METHOD GPs provided pharmacists with the renal function of older patients with diabetes or cardiovascular disease who were using target drugs, that is, drugs requiring therapeutic advice in patients with reduced renal function. With the help of a PMAS, pharmacists assessed the actual medication. The GP weighed the advice in relation to the clinical context of the individual patient. RESULTS Six hundred and fifty patients were prescribed 1333 target drugs. Pharmacists formulated 143 therapeutic recommendations (11% of target drugs) concerning 89 patients (13.7% of study population). In 71 recommendations in 52 patients (8.0% of study population), the GP agreed immediately. CONCLUSION The use of a PMAS resulted in therapeutic advice in 11% of the target drugs. After weighing the clinical context, the GP agreed with half of the advice.

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