Praktické lekárnictvo 1-2/2020
Role of the community pharmacist in treating elderly patients
The pharmacological care of elderly patients (60+) is accompanied by much more issues, compared with younger age categories, as a result of the aging process itself. Taking various medications at the same time is typical for the pharmacotherapy of geriatric patients, which may result in more frequent drug interactions and adverse reactions. The main aim of our research was to collect and analyze data on the role of the pharmacist in treating elderly patients, and to assess the outcomes of the questionnaire survey. The data were obtained by the anonymous questionnaire survey carried out between August 2018 and January 2019 in a printed form, in the Frydek-Mistek community pharmacy and the Karvina hospital in the eye department, in the Czech Republic. The questionnaire had its own structure, was anonymous, and consisted of 11 questions. The outcomes were assessed according to sex. There were 102 respondents in the survey, 54 per cents of females and 46 per cents of males. They were subsequently divided into 4 age categories: aged 60-69 (52 %), aged 70-79 (30 %), aged 80-89 (15 %), and aged 90+ (3 %). We have noticed that pharmacists mostly provide information on proper drug takings and give advice when taking various drugs at the same time; however, they inform patients about potential adverse reactions only sometimes. The most common problem of patients when taking or applying medications is to tear open blister packs. The older they get, the less aware of their medications they are. Pharmacists are the last providers of health care who patients talk with before getting their medications so they can impact on the patient treatment. Nowadays pharmacists communicate with patients about various spectrums of topics, lots of time they are like drug experts - when patients have trouble with their medications. Thanks to that fact, pharmacists are able to provide patients with proper treatments, help them to handle their pharmacotherapy better, and also they can interfere in time and prevent some potential problems relating to the treatment from happening.
Keywords: community pharmacist, pharmaceutical care, elderly patients, polypharmacotherapy, polymorbidity
