Evaluation of clinical pharmacy services in internal intensive care unit inpatient clinic

Aim: It was aimed to reveal clinical pharmacist's contribution to patients' health care by evaluating patients' medical therapies who was hospitalized in Internal Intensive Care Unit by the way that determining drug related problems, their classifications and sharing solution proposals with managing doctors. Material and method: This study was conducted at İnönü University Turgut Özal Medical Center Internal Intensive Care Unit between August 16, 2021 and March 16, 2022. During this period drug related problems were evaluated prospectively in 257 patients who were hospitalized in Internal Intensive Care Unit and took at least one drug, and PCNE v.9 classification system was utilized to classify these problems. Clinical and demographic characteristics of patients with and without drug related problem were compared. Results: At least one drug related problem was detected in 157 of the 257 patients included in the study, and a total of 399 drug related problems were recorded in these 157 patients. The median value of the quantity of medications used by patients with drug related problems was found to be 12 (IQR: 9-15) and 7 (IQR: 5-10) in those without (p<0.05). In the study, 399 recommendations were made to the physician and nurse, and it was determined that 349 (%87.5) of these recommendations were accepted and 50 (%12.5) were not accepted. When the causes of drug related problems were examined, it was shown that drug selection (N1) was the most common by 42.2%, followed by dosage selection (N3) by 41.5%. Patients with atrial fibrillation, history of bone marrow transplantation, antibacterial drug or polypharmacy were found increasing the risk of drug related problems. Conclusion: The clinical pharmacist participating in the multidisciplinary health team and suggesting inteventions for drug related problems is seen to prevent them and contribute to the effectiveness of treatment.