Context: Suboptimal drug use is a major contributor to adverse patient outcomes in primary care. Considering their accessibility and frequent interactions with patients, community pharmacists may be well suited to identifying patients who are at high risk of drug therapy problems (DTPs) and who may benefit from a comprehensive medication assessment. Objective: To determine if a short screening tool can identify patients at risk for DTPs in a community pharmacy setting. Design: A five question self-administered screening tool was identified in the literature and adapted to reflect current practice in community pharmacy. Adults requesting a refill prescription from three different community pharmacies over 12 weeks completed the screening tool, and had a comprehensive medication assessment with a pharmacist. Information from the assessment was used to: a) determine the ability of patients to correctly answer the screening tool questions and to classify themselves into the appropriate risk category (High or Low Risk); b) compare the number of DTPs identified in each risk category (High vs Low); and c) determine the number of High Risk and Low Risk patients who would qualify for any of the existing provincial medication review programs in Canada. Results: 49 patients completed the study. Most patients were able to answer the questions on the screening tool correctly. The strength of agreement was very good (Kappa 0.91, p<0.01) between the overall patient determined risk category and pharmacist determined risk category. Patients identified as High Risk (n=18) had a mean of 3.72 (p<0.01) more DTPs than Low Risk patients (n=31). All but one (94.4%) of the High Risk patients had at least one Moderate or Severe DTP, while less than half (48.4%) of Low Risk patients had at least one Moderate or Severe DTP. The majority of High Risk patients were eligible for medication reviews in all programs except for Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan. Close to a third of Low Risk patients were eligible for medication reviews in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Ontario. Conclusions: This screening tool is a trustworthy method for identifying patients in community pharmacies who have a large number of DTPs. Patients identified as High Risk using this screening tool may be good targets for community pharmacy based comprehensive medication assessments.

Introduction: Few studies have investigated the nature and prevalence of drug therapy problems (DTPs) in women's health settings, which may compromise safe care for these patients. Objective: This study was to identify risk factors and clinical outcomes for the development of drug therapy problems in the puerperium of patients with gestational hypertension. Methods: A case-control study and a prospective cohort was performed with puerperae diagnosed with gestational hypertension in two Brazilian maternity schools between june and november 2016. Patients with at least one DTP were allocated as case, whereas patients without DTPs were allocated as control. Results: 600 women were included in the study: 354 in the case group, 246 in the control group. The main risk factors for DTPs were increased number of drugs during hospitalization (p = 0.000), lower gestational age at delivery (p = 0.032) and the first gestation (p = 0.016). Of the 354 (59%) patients who had at least one DTP, 244 (68.9%) had one DTP, 98 (27.7%) had two DTPs. The main types of DTPs were: (1) non-administration of the prescribed drug, (2) nonprescription of a drug despite clear indication and (3) failure of therapy (ineffectiveness). The drugs most associated with DTPs were methyldopa 83 (17.2%), ferrous sulfate 318 (66.5%), dipyrone 24 (5%). In addition to methyldopa, other antihypertensive drugs, such as nifedipine, captopril, losartan, were also involved in DTPs, but in less than 5% of patients. In patients exposed to DTPs, the length of hospital stay was 5.45 (SD 3.60) days versus 4.48 (SD 3.32) days in patients not exposed to DTPs (p = 0.001). The time (in days) to achieve BP control was 4.49 (3.58) and 3.47 (3.26), respectively (p = 0.000). There were no deaths. Conclusion: Drug therapy related problems are common events during the postpartum period of patients with gestational hypertension. The three risk factors identified in this study should be considered in the future in the risk analysis of hospitalized puerperae, and suggest levels of alertness for the management of pharmacotherapy in this group of patients. The presence of these events significantly increases the postpartum period of permanence and the time to normalize blood pressure. / Introdução: Poucos estudos têm investigado a natureza e prevalência de problemas farmacoterapêuticos (PFTs) em ambientes de saúde da mulher, o que pode comprometer a assistência segura a essas pacientes. Objetivo: identificar os fatores de risco e os desfechos clínicos para o desenvolvimento de problemas farmacoterapêuticos no puerpério de pacientes com hipertensão na gestação. Método: Foi realizado um estudo de caso-controle e uma coorte prospectiva com puérperas diagnosticadas com hipertensão na gestação em duas maternidadesescola do Brasil, de junho a novembro de 2016. Pacientes com ao menos um problema farmacoterapêutico foram elegíveis como intervenção, enquanto pacientes sem problemas farmacoterapêuticos foram elegíveis como controle. Resultados: 600 mulheres foram incluídas no estudo: 354 no grupo caso e 246 no grupo controle. Os principais fatores de risco para problemas farmacoterapêuticos foram o aumento do número de medicamentos durante a internação (p=0,000), a menor idade gestacional no momento do parto (p=0,032) e a paciente estar na primeira gestação (p=0,016). Das 354 (59%) pacientes que apresentaram pelo menos um problema farmacoterapêutico, 244 (68,9%) tiveram um problema farmacoterapêutico, 98 (27,7%) tiveram dois problemas farmacoterapêuticos. Os principais tipos de problemas farmacoterapêuticos foram: (1) não administração do medicamento prescrito, (2) não prescrição de um medicamento apesar de indicação clara e (3) falha terapêutica (inefetividade). Os medicamentos mais associados a problemas farmacoterapêuticos foram a metildopa 83 (17,2%), sulfato ferroso 318 (66,5%), dipirona 24 (5%). Além da metildopa, outros medicamentos anti-hipertensivos, como nifedipino, captopril, losartana, também estiveram envolvidos em problemas farmacoterapêuticos, porém em menos 5% das pacientes. Em doentes expostos a problemas farmacoterapêuticos, o tempo de internação foi de 5,45 (DP 3,60) dias versus 4,48 (DP 3,32) dias em doentes não expostos a problemas farmacoterapêuticos (p = 0,001). O tempo (em dias) para alcançar o controle da pressão arterial foi de 4,49 (3,58) e 3,47 (3,26), respectivamente (p = 0,000). Não houve mortes. Conclusão: Os problemas farmacoterapêuticos são eventos comuns durante o período pós-parto de pacientes com hipertensão gestacional os três fatores de risco identificados neste estudo devem ser considerados futuramente na análise de risco de puérperas hospitalizadas, e sugerem níveis de alerta para o manejo da farmacoterapia neste grupo de pacientes. A presença destes eventos aumenta significativamente o período pós-parto de permanência e o tempo de normalização da pressão arterial.