Pharmacist Adscription To Intensive Care: Generating Synergies

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Clinical Pharmacy
• Pharmacotherapy

Background:

• The integration of hospital pharmacists into Intensive Care Units (ICUs) is crucial for optimizing patient care.
• Routine pharmacist activity in ICUs can significantly impact medical prescriptions and patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the incorporation of hospital pharmacists into the routine activities of a medical and surgical Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
• To assess the impact of pharmacist interventions on medical prescriptions within an ICU setting.

Main Methods:

• A prospective observational study was conducted in a 21-bed medical and surgical ICU.
• Pharmacist interventions were made through daily prescription reviews and communicated to physicians.
• Data collected included the number, type, and acceptance of interventions, drug classes, and patient outcomes.

Main Results:

• A total of 194 interventions were performed on 62 patients, primarily related to safety (33%) and therapy optimization (32%).
• Key interventions involved drug administration via nasogastric tube (19%) and pharmacokinetic monitoring (14.4%).
• Anti-infective agents (33%) and digestive system medications (27%) were most frequently involved, with an 80% acceptance rate for interventions.

Conclusions:

• Pharmacist integration into ICUs improves patient safety and optimizes pharmacotherapy in over 50% of patients.
• The high acceptance rate of pharmacist interventions supports their implementation in critical care settings.