Impact of intensified pharmaceutical care on health related quality of life in patients with stroke in a tertiary care hospital

Abstract

BackgroundThe study investigates the pharmaceutical care concept to optimize drug therapy, minimize drug related problems and thereby improving health related quality of life (HRQoL) of stroke patients. Since stroke is a major health problem that negatively affects the patient’s quality of life, it is relevant to the current pharmaceutical care scenario in a developing country like India. HRQoL related to stroke and life satisfaction after stroke is the important healthcare measures. MethodologyProspective interventional study conducted among inpatients of neurology department in a tertiary care referral hospital. 128 Patients with TIA/ischemic stroke were allocated to intervention group and control group (64 in each group). Pharmaceutical care was provided to the patients in the intervention group. SF-36 questionnaire was administered to both control group and interventional group to evaluate the patient’s HRQoL. Adherence to entire therapy and antithrombotic therapy in both control group and intervention group were assessed using Morisky Medication Adherence Scales MMAS-8. ResultsPrevalence of ischemic stroke was more compared to hemorrhagic stroke. During the study, the intervention group showed high adherence to overall therapy than the control group. With an intensified pharmaceutical care, improvement in the HRQoL was observed in intervention group and was manifested in subscales and summary measures of SF-36. ConclusionThe study enables demonstration and application of a pharmaceutical care program among stroke patients to prevent complications to improve HRQoL. This study indicates that pharmaceutical care can be performed in both hospital and community settings as it provides more benefit and positive impact on patient’HRQoL.