The Impact of Pharmacist-Led Interventions on the Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients

Objective: This review examines pharmacist-led interventions for their impact on health outcomes and their effectiveness.

A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science, targeting RCTs up to November 2023 focused on pharmacist-led interventions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Studies were reviewed for bias risk and evidence quality, followed by a narrative summary of the outcomes.

Nine RCTs with 2,094 participants were included, focusing on educational interventions to promote awareness, medication adherence, quality of life, and effective use of inhaler techniques. Significant health improvements were noted in the intervention groups in eight out of nine studies compared to control groups, though concerns about high bias risk and lack of blinding were noted. The GRADE evaluation showed evidence quality ranged from "low" to "very low."

Pharmacist-led interventions show promise in improving COPD health outcomes, reinforcing the pharmacist's role in disease management. However, the current evidence base is limited by methodological weaknesses, highlighting the need for high-quality research to validate and expand these findings.