Identification of Drug Therapy Problems in Patients with Diabetes Treated in a Secondary Care Facility in Benin City

This study aims to identify the types and frequency of drug therapy problems (DTPs) as well as the treatment pattern of patients with diabetes admitted to the medical wards of the Central hospital Benin City. A prospective descriptive survey of 40 patients was undertaken during a 3 month period in the male and female medical wards of Central Hospital Benin City. Patient specific subjective and objective data were collected through interview, and review of medical records and prescriptions using pharmaceutical care forms. Data collection began on admission and ended on discharge in respect of each patient. The data were evaluated and identified. The number of male patients 27(67.5%) was twice that of the female. There were varying diagnosis and several co-morbidities and/or complications. The most commonly used oral antidiabetic was metformin (57.5%) followed by glibenclamide (45%). Soluble insulin was the most prescribed of the insulin preparations occurring in 23 (57.5%) patients. Of the patients with diabetes who had hypertension, 15 (37.5%) were on lisinopril while 5 (12.5%) were on amlodipine and nifedipine respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in the FBS, Systolic BP and Diastolic BP on admission and discharge, P < 0.01. All the diabetic patients experienced DTPs (potential or actual) which could have been easily identified by a clinically trained pharmacist. The mean rate of DTP was 4.05 ± 1.96. The most frequently encountered DTP was wrong drug 23.9% followed by adverse drug reaction 16.4%, needs additional drug therapy 14.5% and dosage too high 14.47%. Others include inappropriate compliance 13.8%, dosage too low 11.3% and unnecessary drug therapy 5.6%. The findings of this study suggest a high incidence of drug therapy problems in the health facility and this makes a case for the presence of a pharmacist who is trained in the pharmaceutical care of diabetes in our health care system to help identify, prevent and resolve DTPs.Nigerian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, Vol. 9 No 1 pp. 72 - 81 (February 2011