Drug Related Problems in Radio and Nuclear Pharmacy

Abstract

Background: Radiopharmaceutical plays a critical role in modern medicine primarily for the diagnostic purpose, but also for monitoring disease progression and response to treatment. Identification, resolution and prevention of medication related problems is a vital role of healthcare professionals Drug related problems are an important challenge that may affect morbidity and mortality, as well as the patient's quality of life. The Drug Related Problems recorded by the pharmacists were found to be of clinical significance lends support to actively including clinical pharmacists in the therapeutic health care team. Method: Data was collected in data collection form using patient's medication file. Patients visiting department of nuclear medicine Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute, Ahmedabad were recruited in study. Data was collected in data collection form By reviewing patient's medication file. Result: Total 65 patient included in the study and 146 DRPs identified in 56 (15.47%) patients. The frequency of Drug Related Problem was 2.60 per patient. Most common problems came to know were logistic problem(35.38%), repetition of report (35.38%), Imagine problem (37.69%), patient identifying problem (27.69%), dose selection problem (24.62%), administration problem (87.69%) and vein identifying problem (12.31%). Conclusion: It is concluded that apart from general medicines, Drug Related Problems also presented in nuclear and Radio Pharmaceutical product. Moreover there is a need to develop specific classification system to identify the Drug Related Problems associated with radio and nuclear pharmacy.

Perception of Pharmacists about Nuclear Pharmacy Services in Saudi Arabia

“…[28,29] The responders did not agree with a paid nuclear pharmacy or optional services, and the medication errors reporting system was not included in the nuclear pharmacy services, which agrees with previous studies. [30,31] The responders agreed that most reasons for the lack of implementation of nuclear pharmacy were the absence of nuclear pharmacy education during pharmacy school and training after graduation. That has reflected the current pharmacy continuous medical education and demand for nuclear pharmacy courses, or not available in the pharmacy schools.…”

“…[28] Education and training is a fundamental solution in nuclear pharmacy practice. [15,33] Moreover, the nuclear pharmacy services were costly, and various nuclear pharmacy-related problems; [30,34] the pharmacists recommended making a central area for radiopharmaceutical products and implementing medications safety policy and procedures.…”

Knowledge of Pharmacists about Nuclear Pharmacy Services in Saudi Arabia

“…However, the supervisor had the highest knowledge of medicines because they might participate in the procurement and reporting of radioactive pharmaceuticals by following the medication's usage or documenting radioactive medication safety for drug-related problems. [26,27] Some factors might influence the radioactive drug knowledge, such as location or gender, or years of experience because the nuclear pharmacy services have not existed in their regions. There was a correlation between knowledge of nuclear pharmacy services and radiopharmaceutical products, which was expected because of the pharmacy practice between locations and the unequal number of responders between males and females.…”