Volume No : (2016) Volume: 04 Issue : 23 Year : 2016 Page No: 727-735
Authors : Sriram S, T. Mohan Kumar, Panchumarthi Divya Jyothi, Rakend LS, Javvadi Sree Navya, Tina Sebastian
Abstract :
Aim: Improvement in Asthma Control, Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) and Asthma related Quality of Life Scores (AQLQ'S). Objectives: To document all the asthma cases admitted in the study department. To ascertain the knowledge of the patients regarding their disease and the therapy. To provide pharmaceutical care pertaining to disease and use of inhalational devices to the study group, which is to be compared with the control group. To analyse the impact of pharmaceutical care on quality of life in patients with asthma. Selection criteria: Inclusion: The patients diagnosed with asthma at least 6 months before enrolling in this study. Those patients having no infectious diseases. Patients above 12 years Exclusion: Those who are unable or unwilling to participate in the asthma education program. Pregnant and lactating women. Method: A baseline study was conducted for one month to assess the patients' perception about asthma, their medications, and the inhalation therapy using a questionnaire prepared. Patients were also divided into an intervention and control group. Intervention group received pharmaceutical care through asthma education, medication counselling, instructions on life style modifications, etc. whereas the control group patients were not provided any pharmaceutical care till the end of the study. Asthma control in the two groups was assessed using ACT at regular intervals. Asthma related Quality of Life of patients in both the groups was assessed at regular intervals using AQLQ'S. Results: The intervention group patients showed an improvement in AQLQ'S baseline study indicating overall, activity, symptoms, emotional and environmental domains respectively. The mean AQLQ'S for the control group patients at the baseline increased by the final visit indicating overall, activity, symptoms, emotional and environmental domains respectively. The p value between the two groups at initial and final visit showed a significant difference (<0.05). The mean value of all the five asthma control test questions for the intervention group was higher than the control group in the final visit. The mean ACT scores for study group at baseline was found to be increased in the final visit for all the five ACT questions respectively. The mean ACT scores for the control group at the baseline were low and at the final visit it was high for each question. The p value between the two groups at two visits showed a significant difference (< 0.05). In the intervention group, the mean Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) improved from 282.48±95.40 at baseline to 336.24±88.11 L/min at the final visit whereas for the control patients the value at baseline was 264.93±93.3 and at the final it was about 268.54±85.1. Conclusion: The pharmaceutical care program showed a positive impact in improving patient’s asthma related Quality of Life, lung function and asthma control. By providing structured pharmaceutical care, pharmacists can help asthma patients to achieve desired health outcomes.
Full Text PDF