Objective： To determine whether patients maintain symptom control after discontinuation of PPI （proton-pump inhibitor） therapy through intervention of a pharmacist-led medication utilization program and determine a...Objective： To determine whether patients maintain symptom control after discontinuation of PPI （proton-pump inhibitor） therapy through intervention of a pharmacist-led medication utilization program and determine annual clinic cost-savings per prescription. Design： The study was conducted as a prospective, medication use evaluation. Using an electronic medical record system at a clinic, reports generated all patients receiving PP1 therapy from January 2013-June 2015. Patients were encouraged to participate in a PPI discontinuation trial through a pharmacist-led educational session. Participants were followed-up three months post enrollment to assess their quality of life through a survey assessing severity and frequency of symptoms. Participants unable to maintain symptom control after the intervention were referred back to their primary care physician for further evaluation. Results： Of one hundred participants, 25% （n = 25） were able to discontinue the use of PPI by lifestyle modifications, 43% （n = 43） refused to discontinue PP1 therapy and lifestyle changes due to the severity of their symptoms, 17% （n = 17） switched to over-the-counter H2 receptor antagonist daily to control their symptoms, 9% （n = 9） used PPIs only as needed, and 6% （n = 6） of participants were dropped from the study after three failed communication attempts. The clinic saved approximately $11 thousand annually for every one prescription of PPI＇s. Conclusions： Discontinuation of PPI or step-down therapy was possible for patients with mild-moderate GERD （Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease） symptoms when mediated by pharmacist counseling and follow-up. Also, the annual PPI expenditure at this clinic will decrease due to participant＇s discontinuation of therapy.展开更多
文摘Objective： To determine whether patients maintain symptom control after discontinuation of PPI （proton-pump inhibitor） therapy through intervention of a pharmacist-led medication utilization program and determine annual clinic cost-savings per prescription. Design： The study was conducted as a prospective, medication use evaluation. Using an electronic medical record system at a clinic, reports generated all patients receiving PP1 therapy from January 2013-June 2015. Patients were encouraged to participate in a PPI discontinuation trial through a pharmacist-led educational session. Participants were followed-up three months post enrollment to assess their quality of life through a survey assessing severity and frequency of symptoms. Participants unable to maintain symptom control after the intervention were referred back to their primary care physician for further evaluation. Results： Of one hundred participants, 25% （n = 25） were able to discontinue the use of PPI by lifestyle modifications, 43% （n = 43） refused to discontinue PP1 therapy and lifestyle changes due to the severity of their symptoms, 17% （n = 17） switched to over-the-counter H2 receptor antagonist daily to control their symptoms, 9% （n = 9） used PPIs only as needed, and 6% （n = 6） of participants were dropped from the study after three failed communication attempts. The clinic saved approximately $11 thousand annually for every one prescription of PPI＇s. Conclusions： Discontinuation of PPI or step-down therapy was possible for patients with mild-moderate GERD （Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease） symptoms when mediated by pharmacist counseling and follow-up. Also, the annual PPI expenditure at this clinic will decrease due to participant＇s discontinuation of therapy.
