Evaluation of drug therapy problems among renal patients receiving care in some tertiary hospitals in Nigeria

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of drug therapy problems (DTPs), identify the types of DTPs and assess outcomes of DTP interventions among renal patients receiving care in three Nigerian tertiary hospitals.
Methods: This prospective descriptive study was conducted in nephrology units of three tertiary hospitals in Nigeria, based on recommendations of working conference of the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe, version 6.2 while the reviews, classification of DTPs and principles of drug use in chronic kidney diseases (CKD) were based on evidence-based clinical guidelines and standards of practice (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO).
Results: Out of 234 DTPs identified, 90 (38.46%) had drug choice problem, 86 (36.75%), had problems of drug interactions; 47(20.09%), had dosing problem, while 11 (4.70%) had drug use problem. Clinical interventions (459) were undertaken at prescriber level (78; 16.99%); patient/carer level (211, 46.00 %) and drug level (170, 30.04 %). Pharmacists recommended 376 of the interventions for approval, out of which 310 (67.54%) were approved. Amongst the DTPs indentified, 47.86 % were successfully resolved.
Conclusion: Drug therapy problems among renal patients were high. Inappropriate drug selection and drug interactions were the commonest drug therapy problems. The acceptance of pharmacists’ interventions by prescribers was appreciable.