PREVALENCE AND PREDICTORS OF DRUG-RELATED PROBLEMS AMONG MEDICAL WARD PATIENTS IN A SECONDARY CARE REFERRAL HOSPITAL: A PROSPECTIVE HOSPITAL-BASED INTERVENTIONAL STUDY

Drug-Related Problem (DRP) affects the hospital stay, healthcare budget, quality of life, morbidity, and mortality. The study aims to assess the prevalence and predictors of DRPs in hospitalized patients and provide intervention. A prospective interventional study was conducted in the in-patient medical department of the NGO hospital. A total of 310 subjects were enrolled and screened for the presence of DRP. The identified DRPs were categorized according to the Hepler and Strands. Depending on DRP, the clinical pharmacist provided an intervention at the patient and physician level and recorded the acceptance. The data was analyzed using SPSS™. Binary logistic regression was employed to associate risk factors with DRPs. The prevalence of DRPs in the medical department was 80.0%, with a 0.93 DRP/patient average. Drug interactions(DI) (28.4%) and adverse drug reactions (ADR) (21.8%) are the most common DRPs. Anti-microbials (78.0%) and Anticonvulsants (81.2%)showed a greater risk of developing DRPs. Variables like advanced age, the habit of alcohol and smoking, hospital stay, and polypharmacy were significantly associated with DRPs. A total of 179 interventions were recommended, and the acceptance rate was 83.7%. Dosage (23.6%), time adjustment (17.9%), and counseling (15.6%) are the most common pharmacist interventions. Patient counseling is a widely accepted and implemented intervention. The prevalence of DRPs in in-patients of the medical ward was 80.0%. DI and ADR are the most common DRPs found in our study. Developing a drug policy focused on factors associated with DRPs may reduce the burden of DRPs and improve patient outcomes.