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Identification of risk of QT prolongation by pharmacists when conducting medication reviews in residential aged care settings: A missed opportunity?
Citation
Christensen, L and Turner, JR and Peterson, GM and Naunton, M and Thomas, J and Yee, KC and Kosari, S, Identification of risk of QT prolongation by pharmacists when conducting medication reviews in residential aged care settings: A missed opportunity?, Journal of Clinical Medicine, 8, (11) Article 1866. ISSN 2077-0383 (2019) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
Copyright 2019 The Authors. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Abstract
QT interval prolongation is associated with torsade de pointes and sudden cardiac death.
QT prolongation can be caused by many drugs that are commonly prescribed in elderly residential
aged care populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of use of QT-prolonging
drugs and to identify interventions made by pharmacists to reduce the risk of QT prolongation
when conducting medication reviews in aged care. A retrospective analysis of 400 medication
reviews undertaken by Australian pharmacists in aged care settings was conducted. The assessment
included the risk of QT prolongation due to prescribed medications and other risk factors and the
recommendations made by pharmacists to reduce the risk of QT prolongation. There was a high
prevalence of the use of QT-prolonging medication, with 23% of residents (92 out of 400) taking
at least one medication with a known risk of QT prolongation. Amongst the 945 prescribed drugs
with any risk of QT prolongation, antipsychotics were the most common (n = 246, 26%), followed
by antidepressants (19%) and proton pump inhibitors (13%). There appeared to be low awareness
amongst the pharmacists regarding the risk of QT prolongation with drugs. Out of 400 reviews,
66 residents were categorised as high risk and were taking at least one medication associated with QT
prolongation; yet pharmacists intervened in only six instances (9%), mostly when two QT-prolonging
medications were prescribed. There is a need to increase awareness amongst pharmacists conducting
medication reviews regarding the risk factors associated with QT prolongation, and further education
is generally needed in this area.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | QT interval prolongation; torsade de pointes; residential aged care facilities; nursing homes; pharmacist; medication review; elderly |
| Research Division: | Biomedical and Clinical Sciences |
| Research Group: | Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences |
| Research Field: | Clinical pharmacy and pharmacy practice |
| Objective Division: | Health |
| Objective Group: | Clinical health |
| Objective Field: | Clinical health not elsewhere classified |
| UTAS Author: | Peterson, GM (Professor Gregory Peterson) |
| ID Code: | 135684 |
| Year Published: | 2019 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 3 |
| Deposited By: | Pharmacy |
| Deposited On: | 2019-11-07 |
| Last Modified: | 2019-12-16 |
| Downloads: | 12 View Download Statistics |
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