ROLE OF A CLINICAL PHARMACIST IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HYPERTENSION AND DIABETES MELLITUS: THE TWIN DISEASE

Background: Hypertension and diabetes are paramount diseases in the lifestyle disease catalog. Even with specific treatments available, the prevalence of diabetes with hypertension has got special attention. Regarding the various complications of this twin disease, the required therapeutic outcome, along with non-compliance and improved quality of life, can be attained by clinical pharmacy services. The current study aimed to investigate the evidence to summarize the role of clinical pharmacists to flatten the curve.

Main body: The functional triage role of clinical pharmacists includes providing pharmaceutical care, enhancing medication management, and ADR monitoring. Pharmaceutical care services include analyzing drug-related problems regarding cost-effectiveness, better outcome, safety, and efficacy. Medication management includes strategies for the selection of drugs, applicable drugs, ADR monitoring, and assessing drug-drug interactions, drug-food interactions to accomplish safe, efficient, and cost-effective therapy. Also, an essential resource of patient counseling can gradually decrease the risk of medicine mismanagement, non-compliance, and non-adherence. The advantage is also added in the case of prescribing by implementing rational drug use and addressing ADR, interactions, and patient counseling information.

Conclusion: However, all available studies reported some positive impact resulting from clinical pharmacist involvement, and evaluating that outcome is improved. Targeting multiple risk factors is crucial in preventing and slowing the progression of these complications. Appropriate education and awareness among the patient and caregivers can result in stunning outcomes. In contrast, only clinical pharmacists from the health care team can keep the track in productive ways and bridge the gap between the patients and the health care team.

Keywords: Clinical pharmacist, Clinical pharmacy services, Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, Lifestyle disease, Outcomes, Twin disease.