RESUMEN

The first comprehensive point prevalence survey at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) was performed as part of the 2019 Global Point Prevalence Survey (Global-PPS) on antimicrobials. The aim was to establish a PPS baseline for the whole hospital and to identify required stewardship interventions. The PPS was conducted over three days in June 2019 using the GLOBAL-PPS standardized method for surveillance of antimicrobial utilization in hospitals to evaluate antimicrobial prescribing. In all, 988 patients were admitted to 69 wards. Overall antimicrobial prevalence was 53.3%. More community-acquired infections (CAI) were treated empirically compared to health-care associated infections (94.0% vs. 86.1% respectively, p = 0.002). Main indications for prescribing antimicrobials were pneumonia (18.4%), skin and soft tissue infections (11.4%) and sepsis (11.1%). Among antimicrobials, systemic antibiotics accounted for 83.5%, of which amoxicillin with beta-lactam inhibitor (17.5%), metronidazole (11.8%) and ceftriaxone (11.5%) dominated. Guideline compliance was 89.0%. Stop/review dates were completed in 33.4% and documented reason was recorded in 53.0% of all prescriptions. If the findings in this PPS can be addressed antimicrobial stewardship at the KBTH stands to improve significantly.

RESUMEN

Background Medication adherence is essential in the management of schizophrenia. Yet poor treatment uptake has negative consequences on patients and their primary caregivers. Objective To examine the association among beliefs about psychotropic medications, side effects and adherence from a patient-caregiver dyad perspective. Setting This study was conducted in a public psychiatric hospital setting in Accra, Ghana. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 121 patient-caregiver dyads using an interviewer-administered data collection approach.Main outcome measure Beliefs about medicines, side-effects and medication adherence. Results The patient and caregiver-reported level of medication adherence was 28.1 %. Using the Kappa index, the level of agreement between the responses of patients and their caregivers ranged from slight to moderate. Both patients and caregivers rated necessity higher than concern (patients: 1.67 ± 0.84, caregiver: 1.79 ± 0.96). Significant positive relations between specific-necessity, necessity-concerns differential and medication adherence were recorded while specific-concern, general harm and side-effects correlated negatively with medication adherence from the dyad. The odds of adhering to medications increased by 58 and 64 % for each unit increase in specific-necessity and general overuse scores respectively. However, a unit increase in specific-concern score and high side-effects scores were associated with lower odds of adherence. Conclusions This study highlights the need for patient-caregiver collaborations in decision-making relating to medication adherence in schizophrenia. Thus, in clinical practice, there is the need to recognize that caregivers are essential partners, and patient-caregiver views about psychotropic medications are critical in enhancing adherence for positive mental health outcomes.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder characterized by distortions in thinking, perception, emotions, language, sense of self, and behaviour. This report presents the role of clinical pharmacists in the management of a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia with symptoms of paranoia. A gainfully employed young African male adult reported to be roaming around town moving from one bank to another was arrested. The patient was referred to the psychiatric unit of a hospital and diagnosed with schizophrenia. Key interventions offered included rapid tranquilization, electroconvulsive therapy, and psychotherapy. Medications administered to the patient while on admission included IV diazepam, IM haloperidol, IV Ketamine, IM flupentixol, olanzapine tablets, and trihexyphenidyl tablets. Issues raised by clinical pharmacists during the patient's admission included need for alternative medication for rapid tranquilization, need for initial investigations and documentation of the patient's vitals, initiation of antipsychotic therapy without initial monitoring and screening for substance abuse, inappropriate dose at initiation of antipsychotic medications, untreated indication, and incidence of missed doses. Interventions by the clinical pharmacists contributed to improvement in the patient's symptoms prior to hospital discharge. The case proves that it is critical for clinical pharmacists to be involved in the multidisciplinary team during management of patients with psychosis.