Comparison of Drug-Related Problems in COVID-19 and Non-COVID-19 Patients Provided by a German Telepharmacy Service for Rural Intensive Care Units
Köck J, Dohmen SM, Marx G, Eisert A (2023)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2023
Journal
Book Volume: 12
Article Number: 4739
Journal Issue: 14
DOI: 10.3390/jcm12144739
Abstract
Telepharmacy is used to bridge the persisting shortage of specialist ward-based pharmacists, particularly in intensive care units (ICU). During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), pharmacotherapy was rapidly developed, which resulted in multiple changes of guidelines. This potentially led to a differing risk for drug-related problems (DRPs) in ICUs. In this study, DRPs were detected in telepharmacy consultations of a German state-wide telemedicine network for adult patients in rural ICUs. The analysis included ICUs of ten general care hospitals with a total of 514 patients and 1056 consultations. The aim of this retrospective, observational cohort study was to compare and analyze the DRPs resulting from ICU patients with or without COVID-19. Furthermore, known risk groups for severe COVID-19 progression (organ insufficiency [kidney, liver], obesity, sex, and/or older age) were investigated with their non-COVID-19 counterparts. As a result, in both groups patients with acute renal insufficiency and without renal replacement therapy showed a significantly higher risk of being affected by one or more DRPs compared to patients with normal renal function. In COVID-19 patients, the initial recommendation of therapeutic anticoagulation (ATC-code B01AB ‘Heparin group’) resulted in significantly more DRPs compared to non-COVID-19 patients. Therefore, COVID-19 patients with therapeutic anticoagulation and all ICU patients with renal insufficiency should be prioritized for telepharmacy consultations.
Involved external institutions
Germany (DE)How to cite
APA:
Köck, J., Dohmen, S.M., Marx, G., & Eisert, A. (2023). Comparison of Drug-Related Problems in COVID-19 and Non-COVID-19 Patients Provided by a German Telepharmacy Service for Rural Intensive Care Units. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(14). https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jcm12144739
MLA:
Köck, Joachim, et al. "Comparison of Drug-Related Problems in COVID-19 and Non-COVID-19 Patients Provided by a German Telepharmacy Service for Rural Intensive Care Units." Journal of Clinical Medicine 12.14 (2023).
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