No abstract

Inconsistencies between published clinical significance scales and the professional judgments of practitioners could affect patient care to the degree that a summary measure of clinical significance affects a practitioner's response to a potential drug-drug interaction. The clinical significance scale developed in this study has good measurement characteristics and reflects the professional judgments of practicing pharmacists. Use of the new scale is recommended on these grounds, although further assessment of its generality is warranted.

Approximately 54% of patients initiating SSRI therapy were noncompliant with SSRI therapy over a 6-month period, with the lowest level of compliance found in patients receiving IR SSRI agents. Future studies should assess the effect of compliance on economic measures and determine if reductions in resource utilization are found across specific SSRI agents.

This study supports the concern that there is often a gap between documentation of symptoms and constipation treatment decisions. No correlation was found between the specific laxative prescribed and the presence or absence of a documented diagnosis of constipation. Treatment decisions should be based on thorough examination and individualized patient needs. Furthermore, there is a need to increase monitoring for drug effectiveness.