Dysfagi är ett vanligt förekommande och mindre uppmärksammat tillstånd som påverkar patientens hälsa och livskvalité. Dysfagi innebär en försämrad ät- och sväljförmåga som kan leda till undernäring, ökad sjuklighet och uttorkning, som i sin tur kan leda till ökad dödlighet. Patienter med sväljsvårigheter har oftast svårt med intag av orala läkemedel som tabletter/kapslar, vilket gör att läkemedel kan behöva manipuleras (krossas/delas) för att underlätta nedsväljningen. Därför är syftet med detta projekt att studera sjuksköterskornas och klinikapotekarnas beskrivning av hur sväljbedömningen, läkemedelshanteringen och uppföljningen går till för patienter med dysfagi. Projektet gjordes genom en kvalitativ intervjustudie med hjälp av en innehållsanalys. Totalt intervjuades sex sjuksköterskor och två klinikapotekare som arbetar inom Region Västmanland år 202. Resultatet presenterades under sex huvudkategorier; “Bedömning av sväljsvårigheter i praktiken”, “Tillvägagångssätt vid läkemedelshantering”, “Källor vid manipulering av läkemedel”, “Teamarbetets betydelse i vården”, “Läkemedelsgenomgångar för patienter med dysfagi” och “Förbättringsförslag”. Resultatet visade att sjuksköterskorna inte utför några djupgående bedömningar av sväljförmågan. Det visade även att majoriteten av sjuksköterskorna hanterade läkemedelsmanipulation på likartat sätt och använde gemensamma informationskällor. En regelbunden uppföljning av patienternas sväljförmåga fanns inte. Klinikapotekarna bidrog till en minskad läkemedelsmanipulering genom att utföra läkemedelsgenomgångar. Slutsatsen som kan dras är att det finns ett behov av fler insatser av vården som skulle kunna optimera läkemedelsbehandlingen till patienter med dysfagi. Detta kan ske genom ett ökat samarbete mellan olika professioner i vården och tydligare rutiner, informationskällor och utbildningar.

I samband med att den äldre populationen blir en större andel av jordens befolkning ökar även sväljningsproblematiken i befolkningen. Dysfagi är ett tillstånd som försvårar både födo- och vätskeintaget, följden av detta är att administreringen av fasta orala läkemedel (tabletter/kapslar) försvåras. Genom läkemedelsmanipulering, det vill säga krossning och delning av tabletter/kapslar kan läkemedelsadministreringen underlättas till dessa patienter. Riskerna med att krossa/dela fasta orala läkemedel kan bland annat ge upphov till irritation i magslemhinnan, obehaglig smak och i värsta fall förstärkt eller utebliven effekt. Syftet med detta fördjupningsprojekt är att få kunskap om olika professioners (läkare, logoped, klinisk farmakolog och klinisk apotekare) erfarenheter kring sväljbedömning, förskrivning och uppföljning av peroral läkemedelsbehandling till patienter med sväljsvårigheter. Denna kvalitativa intervjustudie utformades år 2021 och analyserades med en manifest innehållsanalys, där åtta studiedeltagare rekryterades.   Resultatet visar att bedömning av sväljförmågan kan utföras av läkare och annan inblandad personal men att logopeden anses ha den centrala rollen. Vid förskrivning ser läkarna över läkemedelslistan med avseende på sväljsvårigheter och möjlighet till krossa/dela om det framkommer att patienten har sväljproblematik. För att inhämta information kring krossning/delning och alternativa beredningsformer utgår läkarna från ungefär samma källor och som stöd finns kliniska farmakologer och apotekare. Samtliga nämner att det kan finnas risker med krossa/dela som exempelvis ökad risk för biverkan.  Det framkom även att uppföljningen av läkemedelsbehandlingen till patienter med dysfagi är bristande. Slutsatsen som kan dras är att det finns förbättringspotential kring sväljbedömning, förskrivning och uppföljning av peroral läkemedelsbehandling till patienter med sväljsvårigheter, detta genom exempelvis tillämpning av rutiner, utbildningsinsatser och ett tydligare teamsamarbete.

Introduction: The kidneys' ability to filter drug substances deteriorates with age. Some diseases accelerate this degradation. Patients with renal impairment are at increased risk of drug-related adverse reactions if dose adjustments are not made. Aim: To investigate the purchase and dosage of newly introduced opioids, gabapentinoids and NSAIDs between 2014 and 2019 for patients with impaired kidney function in the Stockholm Region. Method: A register-based cross-sectional study where data has been obtained from the database SCREAM (The Stockholm CREAtinine Measurements project). All patients ≥ 18 years of age, who live in Stockholm and have performed at least one creatinine measurement from January 2013 and received a prescription for selected drugs were included. The number of people and the dosage (DDD/prescription) were studied annually, by age, sex, and CKD. Results: The total number of patients was 362,964 with a mean age of 56 (SD 19) years. The study included 202,762 women (56%) and 160,201 men (44%). The mean value of eGFR was 88 (SD 24). Gabapentinoids were prescribed significantly less than NSAIDs and opioids, however, prescribing increased between 2014-2018. It was the only class of drugs with a clear reduction in dosage with respect to CKD level. NSAIDs were prescribed on few occasions to patients with impaired renal function, at the same time a reduction in the total number of prescriptions was seen between 2014-2018. No major difference in dosage was seen based on the patient's CKD level. Opioids were prescribed on most occasions with an increase in the number of prescriptions between 2014-2018. Only minor differences in dosage were noted between the different CKD levels. However, for all CKD levels, there had been a gradually reduced dosage from 2014 to 2018. Conclusion: Patients with renal impairment belong to a fragile group with a number of different comorbidities. Painkillers are prescribed on fewer occasions to patients with renal impairment. Prescribers, however, do not appear to adjust the dose with respect to renal function when re-introducing NSAIDs and opioids

Title of thesis: Analysis of drug-related problems in a healthcare facility VI. Candidate: Kristína Záleská Supervisor: PharmDr. Martin Doseděl, PhD. Department: Department of Social and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University Background and aim: A drug-related problem (DRP) has been defined as an event or circumstance involving drug therapy that actually or potentially interferes with desired health outcomes [1]. The theoretical background chapter is aimed to give a detailed description of selected studies dealing with drug-related problems in various settings. The retrospective cross- sectional study, described in the experimental part of the thesis, was carried out in order to identify, classify and assess DRPs in a rehabilitation facility and to discuss the results with a physician and subsequently determine intervention acceptance rate. Methods: The data were collected during a nine-day-long audit in three wards of a rehabilitation facility in the Czech Republic through a review of medical documentation. The detected DRPs were classified using the modified version of PCNE classification v5.01 and their severity was assessed on a scale of 0 to 5. The DRPs were subsequently discussed with physicians and the pharmaceutical intervention acceptance rate was...

Analysis of drug-related problems in a health facility IV. Author: Linda Šubrtová Tutor: PharmDr. Josef Malý, Ph.D. Department of Social and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University Introduction: Increasing use of drugs leads to a growing risk of occurence of drug-related problems. These problems can often endanger patient's health and increase the economic cost of the treatment. However, many of these problems can be prevented by controls and collaboration of all health care subjects. Objective: The aim of this work was to carry out a revision of pharmacotherapy in a rehabilitation health facility and to analyse acquired drug-related problems. Methodology: The collection of data took place from 13 to 15 February 2017 in health facility in the Czech Republic. The review of pharmacotherapy was performed by a three-member team (clinical pharmacist, pharmacist, work researcher). The data obtained from the provided medical records were recorded into the database, which was prepared for the purpose of the pharmacotherapy review. Recorded were: the patient's age and sex, allergic, family, work, social and personal history, physical and laboratory examinations and complete pharmacotherapy, which included over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements, including dosage...

Abstarct Analysis of the Therapy in Patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Author: Martina Procházková Tutor: PharmDr. Josef Malý, Ph.D. Department of Social and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University Introduction and aims: Methotrexate (MTX) is an effective and safe drug used for the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and is well-known like a golden standart in the treatment of this serious illness. The aim of this study was analysis of therapy in patients with JIA focusing on MTX and faktors affecting its intolerance. Methods: The study was undertaken from January 2017 to February 2018 at the Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague. Patients younger than 18 years old, who have become ill with JIA for the first time or repeatedly between years 2015-2017 and were treated by MTX were included in this study. The prevalence of MTX intolerance was measured by "Methotrexate Intolerance Severity Score" questionaire every 3 months during regular rheumatological examinations. Simultaneously, medical records were reviewed. Data analysis was performed by means of descriptive statistics, correlation dependence and statistical signifikance of dependence was assessed with statistical two-choice...

Farmaceutens uppgift vid läkemedelsexpediering innefattar att kontrollera att receptet är förskrivet enligt godkända premisser. Om problem uppstår behöver farmaceuten ta ställning i om förskrivarkontakt är aktuellt för klargörande och åtgärder. Förskrivare har inte tillgång till patienters fullständiga journaler vilket kan öka risken för att olika typer av problem uppstår vid läkemedelsförskrivning. Sedan monopolet avskaffades har apoteken ökat i antal men antalet farmaceuter per apotek har snarare minskat. Underbemanning och stress kan påverka farmaceutens arbete och därmed medföra en ökad risk för felexpedieringar. Farmaceutens möjlighet till förskrivarkontakt ligger således till grund för en säker läkemedelsanvändning och ökad patientsäkerhet. Syftet med studien var att kartlägga problem som leder till förskrivarkontakt vid läkemedelsexpediering samt kartlägga problem som uppstår i samband med förskrivarkontakt. Studiens metod var att alla farmaceuter (1352) som arbetade på ett öppenvårdsapotek på Apoteket AB fick möjlighet att genomföra en onlinebaserad enkät. En länk till enkäten mejlades ut till alla apotek i Sverige tillsammans med ett följebrev med information om studien. Farmaceuterna hade möjlighet att besvara enkäten mellan 14–29 september 2023.  Resultatet visade att 200 farmaceuter deltog i enkäten. 38,5 % ansåg att fel förskrivet läkemedel genererade förskrivarkontakt varje gång det förekom följt av fel eller oklar dosering (25 %) och  läkemedel som genererar en D interaktion (24,5 %). Respondenterna upplevde att restnoterade läkemedel förekom dagligen (77,5 %) därefter läkemedel som indikerar en C interaktion (61,5 %) och missad läkemedelsförskrivning (41,5 %). Avregistrerade läkemedel (13,5 %), läkemedel som genererar en D interaktion (13 %) och restnoterade läkemedel (12,5 %) var de problem som flest respondenter ansåg tog >30 minuter att lösa med förskrivare. Dessutom var förskrivare inte anträffbara i cirka 50 % av fallen vilket 97 % ansåg. Respondenterna valde att i 58,5 % av fallen återkoppla till patienten när problemet var åtgärdat när förskrivaren inte var anträffbar. 74 % av respondenterna upplevde att tidsbrist utgjorde ett hinder för förskrivarkontakt där 16 % ansåg att det förekom dagligen. Orsaken till tidsbristen ansågs vara underbemanning och högt kundtryck enligt 55 % av respondenterna.  Slutsatsen är att fel förskrivet läkemedel, fel eller oklar dosering och läkemedel som genererar en D interaktion är de tre problemen som oftast leder till förskrivarkontakt. Tidsbrist och svårigheter i att få tag på förskrivaren är problem som uppstår i samband med förskrivarkontakt och påverkas av underbemanning och högt kundtryck. / The pharmacist’s mission at pharmaceutical dispensing includes to verify that the prescription is prescribed in the right way. The pharmacist needs to decide if contact with the prescriber is needed for clarification and actions if a problem occurs. Prescribers don´t have access to the patients complete medical records which can increase the risk of fault at drug prescribing. Since the monopoly was abolished the number of pharmacies has increased while the number of pharmacists has decreased.  Understaffing and stress will affect the pharmacist which can lead to a higher risk of fault at pharmaceutical dispensing. The pharmacist’s possibility to contact the prescriber is needed to ensure a safe drug usage and increased patient safety. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the problems that leads to contact with the prescriber at pharmaceutical dispensing and also to assess the problems that appears when to contact the prescriber. Method: All pharmacists (1352), that were employed at a pharmacy owned by Apoteket AB, had the opportunity to complete an online survey. A link was provided to all pharmacies in Sweden together with a message containing information about the study. The pharmacists had the opportunity to answer the survey between 14-29 September 2023. The results showed that 200 pharmacists participated in the survey. In this study, 38,5 % considered that faulty prescribed drugs led to contact with the prescriber every time it occurred followed by wrong or unclear dosage (25 %) and drugs that generate a D interaction (24,5 %). The respondents experienced that the backorder drugs occurred daily (77,5 %) then drugs that indicated a C interaction (61,5 %) and missed prescriptions (41,5 %). Non licensed drugs (13,5 %), drugs that give a D interaction (13 %) and backorder drugs (12,5 %) were problems that most pharmacists considered took more than 30 minutes with the prescriber to resolve the problems. The prescriber was not even reachable in about 50 % of the cases which was answered by 97 % of the respondents. The respondents chosed, in 58,5 % of the cases, to reach out to the patient when the problem was resolved with the prescriber. 74 % of the respondents though that lack of time constituted an obstacle prohibiting contact with the prescriber, 16 % thought that this occurred daily. The cause of the lack of time was understaffing and increased number of customers, according to 55 % av the respondents. Conclusion: Prescribing wrong drugs, wrong or unclear dosage and drugs that generate a D interaction were the three most common problems that leads to contact with the prescriber. Lack of time and difficulties to get in contact with the prescriber are problems that appears in connection with the prescriber and was affected by understaffing and increased number of customers.

Neuroscience is a relatively small and emerging clinical pharmacy specialism focusing on drug therapy for neurological disease. Against a professional momentum for specialist practice within pharmacy, there is paucity both of relevant research, and a clearly defined role for specialist pharmacy practice in neuroscience. A qualitative research study was undertaken, using constructivist grounded theory method, to explore how hospital based pharmacists practicing in neuroscience define and develop their role and specialism. Data were concurrently generated and analysed, through verbatim transcription of telephone interviews with fourteen pharmacists. Data analysis resulted in the identification of three processes: (1) Acquiring and utilising knowledge in practice; (2) Gatekeeping access to drug therapies; (3) Integrating into the neuroscience service. The key findings within each process are: (1) Pharmacists utilise different forms of knowledge and there can be barriers to gaining knowledge. Pharmacists identify strengths in their breadth of clinical knowledge and holistic consideration of patients’ drug therapy. (2) Pharmacists act as barriers to drug therapy but also act to expedite and secure access to drug therapy. (3) Pharmacists act as an organisational nexus between pharmacy and neuroscience services and identify the importance in practice of forming working relationships within neuroscience services, underpinned by trust. The study identified a basic social process: Maintaining an overview of drug therapy for patients with neurological disease. This process conceptualises the tensions experienced by the pharmacists between their role as near-patient facing clinical specialists, but also as pharmacist generalists. The study findings have implications for supporting pharmacy practice in neuroscience.

Background: A closed-loop medication system is planned to be implemented at Uppsala University Hospital. Thus, an advanced pharmaceutical validation system called System-Assisted Pharmaceutical VALidation (SAPVAL) is being developed, which aims to identify and manage risk prescriptions, hence reducing potential adverse drug events (ADEs). The system is based on clinical rules that generate an alert due to a "risk score”. As part of SAPVAL, this study focuses on alerts related to an increased risk of bleeding. Aim: This study aims to investigate, gain an enhanced understanding, and determine the clinical significance of alerts generated by one of the clinical rules (rule 2- risk of bleeding) that was developed within SAPVAL. Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective study where alerts 100 from randomly selected patients, with a previously identified risk of bleeding, were investigated in regard to the risk period for potential/true ADEs, undertaken mitigation measures and clinical significance. This was done by accessing the patients’ electronic health records. Results: The risk period for potential ADEs was 29 days. In total, 35 ADEs were identified, with anemia as the most common symptom. Mitigation measures were undertaken for 55 patients, of which the most common were prescription of a proton pump inhibitor and blood transfusions. The clinical evaluation showed that 66% of the 103 included alerts were deemed clinically insignificant. Conclusion: Most alerts were deemed clinically insignificant. This in turn, emphasizes the importance of a system like SAPVAL, where insignificant alerts are filtered away by pharmacists before reaching the physicians, thus reducing problems related to alert fatigue.

<p><b>Background</b><br></p> <p>More than 90% of individuals aged 65 years or older in the United States (US) are taking at least one prescription medication, and more than 40% are taking five or more prescription medications. The potential for non-adherence and risk of medication therapy problems (MTPs) increases with the use of multiple medications. To enhance patient understanding of appropriate medication use, improve medication adherence, and reduce MTPs, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched Medication Therapy Management (MTM) services as part of Medicare Prescription Drug (Part D) policy; however, “best practices” for achieving positive MTM outcomes are not well understood.</p><p><br></p> <p> </p> <p><b>Objectives</b></p> <p>This study had two objectives. The first objective was to identify and explain reasons for concordance and discordance between a) consistently high, moderate, and low performing pharmacies and b) pharmacies that improve or worsen in performance overtime. The second objective was to generate hypotheses for strategies that contribute to community pharmacies’ ability to achieve high performance on widely accepted MTM quality measures. </p><p><br></p> <p> </p> <p><b>Methods</b></p> <p>This comparative mixed-methods, case study design incorporated two complementary conceptual models. First, an adaptation of the Positive Deviance (PD) model explains reasons for deviations in MTM quality measure performance among community pharmacies and informs study design. Second, the Chronic Care Model (CCM) guided data collection and analysis. Data consisted of pharmacy/staff demographics and staff interviews. When appropriate, quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed within and across pharmacy MTM performance (i.e., high, moderate, low) or change-in-performance (i.e., consistent, improved, worsened) categories using descriptive statistics and cross-tabulation respectively. MTM performance component measures used to evaluate and rank pharmacy MTM performance mirrored measures under Domain 4 (Drug Safety and Accuracy of Drug Pricing) of the 2017 CMS Medicare Part D Plan’ Star Rating measures. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board for the Purdue University Human Research Protection Program. </p><p><br></p> <p> </p> <p><b>Results </b></p> <p>Across the sample of eligible pharmacies (N = 56), MTM performance composite scores varied by 21.3%. Of the five component scores, the <i>Comprehensive Medication Review (CMR)</i> component score had the highest percent variation (88.3%). Pharmacy staff at 13 pharmacies of the 18 pharmacies selected as case study sites participated in interviews, yielding a 72.2% case pharmacy participation rate. Of the 13 pharmacies, five were categorized as high performers, four were moderate performers, and four were low performers. Of the 39 pharmacy staff approached across all pharmacies, 25 participated in interviews, yielding a 64.1% participation rate. Interviewees included 11 pharmacists, 11 technicians and three student interns. Eight strategies were hypothesized as positively (7) or negatively (1) contributing to pharmacies’ MTM performance. Hypotheses generated were organized by CCM elements and included: <i>Delivery System Design (DSD)</i> – Having a high degree of technician involvement with MTM activities; Inability to meet cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic needs of patients (negative); Having sufficient capacity to provide CMRs to patients in person compared to telephone alone; Pharmacy staff placing high priority on addressing MTM activities<i>; Clinical Information Systems (CIS) </i>– Faxing adherence-related MTP recommendations and calling providers on indication-related MTP recommendations; Technicians’ use of CISs to collect/document information for pharmacists; Using maximum number of available CISs to identify eligible MTM patients; <i>Health System Organizations (HSO) </i>– Strong pharmacist-provider relationships and trust. No hypotheses were generated for the remaining three CCM elements.</p><p><br></p> <p> </p> <p><b>Conclusions </b></p> <p></p>A total of eight strategies were hypothesized as contributing to community pharmacies’ ability to achieve high performance on MTM quality measures. Notable strategies were related to three of the six chronic care model elements. Future research should engage stakeholders to assist with prioritizing hypotheses to be statistically tested in a larger representative sample of pharmacies.