Asthma therapy related problems in adult Mediterranean Croatian patients

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine asthma treatment related problems, in cooperation with family medicine physicians. This study was conducted on a patient sample from Public Health Centre “Solin”. The study included patients with a diagnosis of J45, who have agreed to participate while picking up their anti-asthmatic drug prescription in the pharmacy on a regular basis.  Excluded were those patients who had just been diagnosed with asthma and patients who were less than 18 years old. The first part of the data required according to form for the analysis of therapy was taken from the patients’ health records of a cooperative family medicine physician, while other necessary data was filled by the pharmacist in conversation with the patient. All participants were asked to examine and sign the informed consent about the purpose of the research conducted in accordance with ethical principles and the Declaration of Helsinki. Asthma Control Test (ACT) value identified 54% of the patients with uncontrolled asthma (ACT < 20). Adherence to GINA guidelines was identified in 32% of the patients. 40% of the patients experienced side effects from antiasthmatic drugs. 20% of the patients are declared as non-adherent to their asthma therapy at the present time and 66% of them were non-adherent at some time in the past. 42% of the patients demonstrated incorrect use of inhalers. Results of this study indicate the presence of significant asthma treatment-related problems in primary health care. These therapy-related problems in asthma and their number indicate the need for active integration of pharmacists into the process of monitoring and supervision of patients with asthma. It is imperative to educate the patients about the need for adherence, correct inhaler technique and how to avoid adverse drug reactions.