PATIENT’S COUNSELLING AND MANAGEMENT OF ADVERSE DRUG REACTIONS AND DRUG INTERACTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY PHARMACY
MIHAELA IANCU1, CAMELIA BUCSA1*, ANDREEA FARCAS1, DANIEL LEUCUTA2, ADRIANA DINCU3, CRISTINA MOGOȘAN1, DAN L. DUMITRAȘCU4, MARIUS BOJITA1
1.Drug Information Research Center, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hatieganu" Cluj-Napoca
2.Department of Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hatieganu" Cluj-Napoca
3.Romanian Institute for Evaluation and Strategy
4.2nd Department of Internal Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hatieganu" Cluj-Napoca
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The pharmacist can participate substantially in promoting effective and safe use of medicines, as he/she is often the last
healthcare professional in contact with the patient, before the use of the drugs. Also, often pharmacists are the first to whom
patients ask for advice due to their availability. This study aimed to evaluate the counselling provided by the pharmacist in
the community pharmacy.
We conducted a survey in pharmacies from 10 Romanian counties across the country. For the first 10/20 visitors of the
pharmacy a questionnaire regarding the counselling provided by the pharmacist during the visit was filled in anonymously by
the pharmacist.
More than 80% of patients received advice from the pharmacist on the medicines’ route of administration, use in relation to
meals, dosage and duration of treatment. Around 60% of the patients were counselled on the medicines’ contraindications
and precautions, drug-drug interactions, additional changes in lifestyle and diet appropriate to the condition, the necessity to
immediately consult a doctor/pharmacist in case of adverse drug reactions and medication storage conditions. Lower
percentages were registered for advising the patient on the side effects of the medicines (40%), the ability of the drug to
modify the laboratory tests results (29%) and the obligation to return to pharmacy the unused psychotropic drugs (18%). 60%
of the patients were encouraged to return to pharmacy for monitoring and for 68% was provided instruction and information
regarding the therapeutic scheme.
The results of the present study showed that in general terms the counselling activity in the community pharmacy is carried
out by the pharmacists in a high proportion, with room for improvement with regards to drug safety issues management.
