68 % of the outcomes reported showed that clinical pharmacy services were associated with better improvement in patients ' outcomes compared with the control group .
The involvement of a pharmacist demonstrated an ability to improve CVD outcomes through providing educational intervention , medicine management intervention , or a combination of both .
These interventions result ed in improved CVD risk factors , improved patient outcomes , and reduced number of drug-related problems with a direct effect on CVD control .
These improvements may lead to an improvement in patient quality of life , better use of health care re sources , and a reduced rate of mortality
BACKGROUND Cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) is considered to be the main cause of death and one of the most common diseases affecting health care systems worldwide .
Many methods have been used to improve CVD outcomes , one of which is to involve clinical pharmacists in the direct care of patients with CVD .
OBJECTIVE To perform a systematic review assessing the effectiveness of clinical pharmacist interventions within a multidisciplinary team in the secondary prevention of CVD , using studies conducted on patients with heart failure , coronary heart disease , or those with CVD risk factors .
Effect of a pharmacist-led intervention on diuretic compliance in heart failure patients: a randomized controlled study.
BACKGROUND Noncompliance is a major factor in the morbidity and unnecessary hospital readmissions for patients with heart failure . Several studies have aim ed to reduce rehospitalizations in heart failure patients through a comprehensive , multidisciplinary approach . Medication compliance was rarely measured in these studies or , when it was measured , the method employed was seldom valid . We aim ed at determining the effect of a pharmacist-led intervention on medication compliance in patients with heart failure . METHODS We conducted a r and omized controlled trial into the effect of a pharmacist-led intervention on medication compliance in patients with heart failure ( predominantly New York Heart Association [ NYHA ] II and III ) treated with loop diuretics , presenting to a cardiology outpatient clinic or admitted to hospitals in The Netherl and s. Patients in the intervention group received monthly consultations from their community pharmacist during a 6-month period . Patients in the control group received usual care . Primary endpoint was medication compliance , assessed with a medication event monitoring system , an electronic pill bottle that registers time of opening . Secondary endpoints were the number of rehospitalizations , death , and quality of life . RESULTS A total of 152 patients were r and omized : 74 patients to the intervention arm and 78 patients to the usual care arm . Over the 6-month study period , patients in the intervention group had 140/7656 days without use of loop diuretics compared with 337/6196 days in the usual care group ( relative risk 0.33 [ confidence interval ( CI ) 95 % 0.24 - 0.38 ] ) . Two consecutive days of nondosing occurred on 18/7656 days in the intervention group compared with 46/6196 days in the usual care group ( relative risk 0.32 [ CI 95 % 0.19 - 0.55 ] ) . There were no significant differences in rehospitalizations , mortality , or disease-specific quality of life between groups . CONCLUSIONS A pharmacy-led intervention can improve medication compliance in patients with moderate to severe heart failure , even in those with relatively high compliance . Future interventions should also focus at less compliant patients
68 % of the outcomes reported showed that clinical pharmacy services were associated with better improvement in patients ' outcomes compared with the control group .
The involvement of a pharmacist demonstrated an ability to improve CVD outcomes through providing educational intervention , medicine management intervention , or a combination of both .
These interventions result ed in improved CVD risk factors , improved patient outcomes , and reduced number of drug-related problems with a direct effect on CVD control .
These improvements may lead to an improvement in patient quality of life , better use of health care re sources , and a reduced rate of mortality
BACKGROUND Cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) is considered to be the main cause of death and one of the most common diseases affecting health care systems worldwide .
Many methods have been used to improve CVD outcomes , one of which is to involve clinical pharmacists in the direct care of patients with CVD .
OBJECTIVE To perform a systematic review assessing the effectiveness of clinical pharmacist interventions within a multidisciplinary team in the secondary prevention of CVD , using studies conducted on patients with heart failure , coronary heart disease , or those with CVD risk factors .