Impact of a medication therapy management service offered to patients in treatment of breast cancer

• Main Authors: Pedro Augusto do Amaral, Simone de Araújo Medina Mendonça, Djenane Ramalho de Oliveira, Leonardo José Peloso, Reginaldo dos Santos Pedroso, Maria Ângela Ribeiro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo 2018-07-01
• Series: Brazilian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Subjects: Medication therapy management services; Outcomes Pharmaceutical care; Oncology; Breast Cancer.
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1984-82502018000200626&lng=en&tlng=en

ABSTRACT Cancer has high morbidity and mortality rates related to medication use and produce a costly impact in health care. Thus, patients require constant monitoring and proper coordination of care between different professionals. This study aimed to evaluate the impact generated by a Medication Therapy Management service (MTM) offered to patients with breast cancer in use of polypharmacy. Observational, exploratory, descriptive and retrospective study of a MTM service that included 93 patients. Sociodemographic and clinical data related to pharmacotherapy and the processes associated with the systematization of the service were collected and analyzed. Patients were followed-up by the MTM service on average for 18 months (±4.31) and 185 drug-related problems (DRP) were identified, an average of two DRP per patient. Of these DRP, 48.11% were resolved and 49.73% were in the resolution process. The most common DRP were in the categories of Indication (37.84%), followed by Safety (23.78%). The safety category showed the highest resolution rate (59.09%). The study revealed an increased risk of DRP for patients with three or more comorbidities and using 5 or more medications. The process of systematization of a MTM service in oncology was associated with positive outcomes.