OBJECTIVES: Geriatric patients with chronic diseases often experience polypharmacy, which can lead to numerous drug-related problems (DRPs). Hence, the objective is to identify and resolve the Drug-related problems among elderly patients.

METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted over a duration of eight months. The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee, and written informed consent was obtained from the participants beforehand. Patients aged 65 years or older of either gender, admitted to the general medicine ward with chronic diseases and taking more than two drugs, were randomized into two groups: control and intervention. In both groups, a pharmacist reviewed the patients' medication charts to identify drug-related problems (DRPs). However, only in the intervention group were these DRPs communicated to the physicians and resolved. The outcome was a reduction in the number of drug-related problems in the intervention group.

RESULTS: A total of 122 patients were enrolled and randomly divided into a control group and an intervention group, with 55.7% being male and 44.3% female. Using the PCNE classification, 86 drug-related problems were found in the control group, while 77 drug-related problems were identified in the intervention group. The most common problem in both groups was in the domain of 'Treatment effectiveness' (54%). The primary causes of these drug-related problems were 'Drug selection' and 'Patient-related' factors, accounting for 14% and 28% respectively in the control group, and 15.1% and 14.3% respectively in the intervention group. 75.3% (58 out of 77) of the drug-related problems were accepted and resolved in the intervention group.

CONCLUSIONS: Many DRPs have been observed in the geriatric population, largely due to polypharmacy. These issues can be prevented through the intervention of a pharmacist, who possesses the necessary skills and knowledge to participate in multidisciplinary care. By doing so, pharmacists can help optimize drug therapy and reduce DRPs.