PHARMACIST-LED interventions can play a key role in preventing cardiovascular disease, new research reveals.
A study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology last week found pharmacists embedded in a general practice setting were able to deliver effective patient education, medication reviews and medication management programs, which researchers said "can be pivotal in preventing heart-related illnesses".
The researchers from the University of Birmingham's School of Pharmacy and Institute of Applied Health Research found patients who received a pharmacist-led intervention saw reductions in their systolic blood pressure, blood sugar levels and LDL-cholesterol.
Researcher, Abdullah Alshehri, said the study showed pharmacists were able to deliver cost-effective care with improved patients outcomes.
"The evidence presented in this review provides an important message to health systems and policy makers regarding the effectiveness of general practice-based pharmacists' interventions," he said.
"The significant reductions in blood pressure, blood glucose, and blood cholesterol reported in this meta-analysis, if sustained in clinical practice, could have significant implications for managing hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidaemia that could prevent cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
"This will benefit health organisations by providing cost-effective care associated with greater control of patients' conditions and their medications."
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