Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud

Background and Objective: Arterial Stiffness (AS) measured as pulse wave velocity has emerged in recent years as a hypertension mediated organ damage with independent prognostic value for Cardiovascular (CV) diseases that has also been discussed as a potential cause of Hypertension (HTN). The aim of this study is to (1) evaluate how measurement of AS modifies CV risk calculation by SCORE, (2) to measure the predictive value of AS for incident hypertension in normotensive patients, and (3) to analyze the association between control of HTN and presence of AS in sustained HTN. Patients and Methods: A longitudinal, prospective, observational trial under conditions of daily pharmaceutical and clinical practice will be conducted in approximately 60 community pharmacies of the Iberian Peninsula in normotensive and/or hypertensive patients entering a pharmacy spontaneously. In the first cross-sectional step, AS will be estimated with a semiautomatic, validated device (Mobil-O-Graph®, IEM), followed by a 10-item questionnaire. The patients will be referred to Primary Care for stratifying risk by SCORE tables and standard evaluation. In the second longitudinal step, patients will be asked to repeat the visit after 12 months. Discussion: This study aims to improve CV risk stratification and to investigate the potential of AS in predicting incident HTN in normotensive subjects. Besides, it will analyze the role of arterial stiffness as an associated factor to prevent control in sustained HTN in a setting of cooperation between community pharmacies and physicians in daily clinical practice.

Introducción: Las prescripciones potencialmente inadecuadas son causas de aparición de problemas relacionados con los medicamentos y de resultados negativos de la medicación, principalmente en ancianos. Los estudios en farmacia comunitaria son escasos. Objetivos: Mejorar la farmacoterapia de pacientes mayores de 65 años polimedicados mediante entrevista con el paciente. Realizar un perfil farmacoterapéutico, de hábitos en salud y adherencia. Medir la intervención del farmacéutico, derivación y satisfacción del paciente. Hacer una evaluación económica. Metodología: Se diseñó un estudio piloto descriptivo en pacientes de una farmacia comunitaria en Valencia. Se recogieron datos en una base Microsoft Acces®. Se midió la prevalencia de las prescripciones potencialmente inadecuadas mediante los criterios STOPP-START (2014) utilizando el software informático Checkthemeds®. Resultados: Se realizó sobre 88 pacientes, 77 (87,5%) finalizaron. La prevalencia de prescripciones potencialmente inadecuadas fue de un 33,0% (26,0% STOPP y 7,0% START), siendo la sección A de los criterios STOPP la mayoritaria (duplicidades terapéuticas y fármacos sin indicación basada en la evidencia). El estreñimiento fue la condición clínica más prevalente. También destacó la falta de adherencia (52,0%), así como un 77,0% de pacientes sin los requerimientos hídricos necesarios. Se intervino en un 36,0% de las prescripciones potencialmente inadecuadas encontradas con un grado de aceptación del 14,0%. Se estimó que en un 9,0% de las ocasiones se evitó derivación con un ahorro medio de 6,57 €/paciente. Conclusiones: La prevalencia de los criterios STOPP fue similar a otros estudios. La de los criterios START menor. La entrevista permite descartar falsas prescripciones potencialmente inadecuadas. La revisión sistemática y protocolizada mejora la farmacoterapia mediante la detección en intervención en las prescripciones potencialmente inadecuadas. / Background: Potentially inappropriate prescriptions are related with Medication Related Problems and Negative Medication Results, especially in the elderly. Few studies in community pharmacy are available. Objectives: To improve pharmacotherapy in patients over 65 years receiving more than five medicines. We investigated pharmacotherapy, healthy style, treatment adherence by conducting an open interview with the community pharmacist. Pharmacists´ interventions, patients´ satisfaction and costs were reported. Patients and methods: A descriptive study in a community pharmacy in Valencia (Spain) was designed. Data were collected in a Microsoft Acces® database and prevalence of potentially inappropriate prescriptions STOPP/START criteria 2014 was evaluated with the Checkthemeds® software. Results: 88 patients were enroled and 77 patients completed the study (87.5%). Prevalence of potentially inappropriate prescriptions was 33.0% (27.0% STOPP, 7.0% START criteria). A section (duplicities and low evidence treatments) was the most representative. Constipation was very common between the patients. Non-compliant patients (52.0%) and low hydration (77.0%) were important too. 36.0% of potentially inappropriate prescriptions required pharmacist intervention with 14.0% of agreement. 9.0% of potentially inappropriate prescriptions avoided medical intervention with a save of 6,57 € per patient. Conclusions: The prevalence of STOPP criteria was similar to that other studies. That of minor START criteria. The interview allows to eliminate false, potentially inadequate prescriptions. The systematic and protocolized review improves pharmacotherapy by identifying and intervening in potentially inadequate prescriptions.