A Pharmacist Care Program

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of a pharmacist care program on cardiovascular risks in type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: A 9-month, prospective, randomized, controlled study was conducted in a public hospital in Hong Kong. Patients in the intervention group had regular drug-counseling sessions with pharmacists in addition to routine medical care, whereas patients in the control group received only routine medical care. The primary outcome was the change in coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. RESULTS: A total of 105 patients completed the study. Patients in the intervention group had a statistically significant reduction in CHD risk compared to those in the control group (-1.64% ± 3.56%; n = 51 vs -0.01% ± 3.08%; n = 54, P = .013). For stroke, a reduction in risk was noted in the intervention group, while an increased risk was noted in the control group (-1.06% ± 1.82% vs 0.31% ± 2.51%, P = .002). In addition, hemoglobin A1c levels were significantly reduced in the intervention group compared with the control group (-1.57% ± 1.50% vs -0.40% ± 1.19%, P < .001); a similar profile was seen with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (-0.36 ± 0.76 vs -0.03 ± 0.74, P = .026). Furthermore, there were nonsignificant improvements in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood pressure in the intervention group. The increased level of understanding regarding medications in the intervention group was statistically significant (P < .001), yielding a better enhancement in compliance compared with patients in the control group (22.5% ± 13.4% vs 2.0% ± 5.0%, P < .001). CONCLUSION: The pharmacist care program implemented in this study demonstrated a significant cardiovascular risk reduction in type 2 diabetic patients; therefore such a program would be a valuable addition to a multidisciplinary care of diabetic patients.