OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to assess the medication therapy management services of geriatric patients in collaboration with pharmacist and psychiatrist

METHODS: A prospective interventional study was conducted in psychiatry outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in Mysuru over six months. Geriatric patients who were newly diagnosed with depression, bipolar affective disorder (BPAD) and alcohol dependency syndrome (ADS) were included in this study. The clinical pharmacist scrutinized the patients for their participation in the study. Included patients were followed up on monthly basis for upto four months. Pharmacotherapy management was provided to the enrolled patients. Interventions provided were discussed with the psychiatrist. Descriptive analysis was performed for categorical variables.

RESULTS: A total of 63 geriatric patients were enrolled in the study. Majority of the enrolled patients were female [n= 35, 55.5%]. Three fourth [n=47, 74.6%] of the patients were illiterate and unemployed [n=48, 76.1%]. Among the enrolled patients, 29 (46%) patients were diagnosed with depression, followed by BPAD [n=21, 33.3%] and ADS [n=13, 20.6%]. A total of 123 medication therapy management services were provided which includes patient counseling [n=63, 51.2%], Adverse drug reaction [n=23, 47.1%], medication information [n=12, 9.7%] drug-drug interaction [n=9, 18.7%], failure to receive drug [n=6, 12.5%], overdose/subtherapeutic dose [n=4, 8.3%], untreated indication [n=4, 8.3%], and drug use without indication [n=2, 4.1%]. Majority of the intervention [n=46, 95.8%] provided were accepted.

CONCLUSIONS: The study findings indicate that medication information services provided by the clinical pharmacist in collaboration with the psychiatrist benefited the geriatric psychiatric patients.