Effects of drug counseling in the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Phu Khieo Chalerm PraKiat Hospital Chaiyaphum Province.

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of illness and death, and has major impact on quality of life. Phu Khieo Chalerm Prakiat Hospital established a COPD clinic and pharmacists provided pharmaceutical care together with a multidisciplinary team.

Objective: To study the outcomes of pharmaceutical care on patient treatments including drug related problems (DRPs), inhaler technique, medication adherence and lung function tests.

Methods: A retrospective descriptive one-group study was carried out on outpatients of Phu Khieo Chalerm Prakiat Hospital from 1st January 2019 to 31st October 2019. All patients were assessed for inhaler technique and  medication adherence before and after counseling intervention. Relevant data were gathered and analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results: A total of 126 patients were assessed. The majority of patients were male 105 patients (83.33%). Most DRPs were patients using a bronchodilator while exhibiting no symptoms, 16 patients (12.70 %) and had palpitations after taking bronchodilators, 6 patients (4.76 %). Patient’s inhaler technique scores increased by 10.31 % to 50.80 % and 58.73 % before counseling, after the first and second counseling interventions, respectively. Adherence increased by 32.53 %, to 51.58 % and 57.14 % before counseling, after the first and second counseling interventions respectively. Patient’s FEV₁ increased by 65.50 % to 65.96 %.

Conclusion: Counseling intervention was found to reduce the problems relating to drug use, improving patient’s inhaler technique and medication adherence, resulting in the decline of acute COPD exacerbation.