副作用に関する情報提供方法の構築とその評価 リウマチ外来での試み

Abstract

The pharmacist should provide the patient with suflcient information, including any expected adverse effects, to ensure that the patient can safely and appropriately use medication. However, informing patients of possible adverse effects might also induce the patients not to take the medication. Therefore, in an attempt to facilitate the counseling about adverse reactions of the dispensed medicine, the effect of illustrating adverse reactions on the rational use of the medication was studied. A total of 125 types of drugs prescribed for 107 out-patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were classified into two groups. One was a group in which consultation by the pharmacist is extremely important for (64%), and the other is the one in which such consultation is only moderately required (36%). The former group has potentially severe adverse reactions, frequent mild adverse reactions, or the ability to change the color of urine, stool, or tears. The illustration cards were developed and provided for 30 out-patients with RA. These patients were also counseled by the pharmacist about the adverse reactions listed in the card. This information trial was found to help relieve the anxiety in 57% of the patients, and to help patients understand adverse reactions in 77%. From these.results, in order to improve the clinical effectiveness and avoid the adverse effects of the medication, it is thus important to develop proper drug information cards which provide patients with correct knowledge on the adverse reactions for the patients.