Pharmacist intervention in drug-related problems for patients with cardiovascular diseases in selected community pharmacies in Northern Cyprus

Purpose: To investigate the role of the community pharmacist in identifying, preventing and resolving drug related problems (DRPs) encountered by patients, with particular emphasis on cardiovascular drugs in community pharmacies in Northern Cyprus, Turkey.
Methods: A prospective observational study for the assessment of DRPs and pharmacist interventions in cardiovascular diseases patients was conducted over a period of four months at four community pharmacies in North Cyprus. Interventions were then evaluated and classified using the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe PCNE DRP classification tool V6.2.
Results: It was determined that 63 % of patients requiring intervention had problems related to drug use linked to existing diseases. The most common cause of DRPs was adverse drug reactions (ADR, 54 %), while the most common reason for DRPs in this group, ‘Others’ (54 %), was significantly (p < 0.0001); ‘Others’ included compliance problems and unclassified complaints. All patients were counseled. Sixty three percent of the encountered DRPs were completely resolved after intervention; the outcome of the intervention was unknown in 36 % of the patients, but the problem could not be solved in only 1 %.
Conclusion: Adverse drug reactions are the most common DRPs in patients with cardiovascular disease. Pharmacist intervention is effective in reducing the level of DRPs.

Keywords
Drug related problems (DRPs); Adverse drug reactions (ADRs); Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe (PCNE); Community pharmacists; Intervention; Cardiovascular diseases