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The Consultant Pharmacist and Analgesic/Anti‐Inflammatory Drug Usage in a Geriatric Long‐Term Facility *
Author(s) -
Wilcher Debra Elaine,
Cooper James W.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1981.tb02384.x
Subject(s) - medicine , acetaminophen , propoxyphene , codeine , aspirin , analgesic , pharmacy , drug , pharmacist , anesthesia , geriatrics , polypharmacy , phenacetin , intensive care medicine , pharmacology , nursing , morphine , psychiatry
The contribution of a consultant pharmacist to a 33‐month study of analgesic and anti‐inflammatory drug usage by 210 elderly long‐term patients was evaluated by a fifth‐year pharmacy student. In the 143 patients who used analgesics and anti‐inflammatory agents, significant changes were noted, viz, decreased use of codeine (p = .002); increased use of acetaminophen (p = .003) and anti‐inflammatory agents (p = .020); increased regular scheduling of aspirin and acetaminophen; and an overall decrease in total drug usage from 7.2 to 4.8 drugs per patient. No effect was noted on the number of analgesics per patient, and the percentage of aspirin or propoxyphene or acetaminophen combinations used. A protocol was established for pain therapy, including a system of stop orders for propoxyphene and codeine.