Pharmaceutical services in a Mexican pain relief and palliative care institute

Pharmacy Practice

  • Raymundo Escutia Gutiérrez1Director of the Jalisco Pain Relief, and Palliative Care Institute (Palia Institute), Secretary of Health, Government of Jalisco, Mexico.
  • César R. Cortéz Álvarez2Coordinator of Pharmacy, Faculty of Exact Sciences and Engineering, University de Guadalajara, Mexico.
  • Rosa Margarita Álvarez Álvarez3Director of the Jalisco Pain Relief, and Palliative Care Institute, Secretary of Health, Government of Jalisco, Mexico.
  • Jorge LV. Flores Hernández4Physiology Institute, Autonomous University of Puebla, Mexico.
  • Jéssica Gutiérrez Godínez5Professor and Coordinator of the Pharmaceutical Services Office, Autonomous University of Puebla, Mexico.
  • José G. López y López6Professor and Director of the Pharmaceutical Services Office, Faculty of Chemical Sciences, Autonomous University of Puebla, Mexico.

Volume 5 Issue 4 Pages 174-178

Abstract

Neither the purchase nor the distribution of pharmaceuticals in hospitals and community pharmacies in Mexico is under the care of pharmacists. Some are under control of physicians. This report presents the results of the implementation of some pharmaceutical services for the Jalisco Pain Relief, and Palliative Care Institute (Palia Institute), under the direction of the Secretary of Health, Government of Jalisco. The services implemented were drug distribution system, Drug Information Service, Pharmacovigilance Program, and home pharmacotherapy follow-up pilot program for patients with advanced illness, with the ultimate goal of using the appropriate medication. The drug distribution system included dispensing of opioid pain medications, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, NSAIDs, anxiolytic drugs, steroid drugs, laxatives, and anti-emetics. The frequently used drugs were morphine sulfate (62%), amitriptyline (6.4%), and dextropropoxyphene (5.8%). The Drug Information Service answered 114 consultations, mainly asked by a physician (71%) concerned with adverse drug reactions and contraindications (21%). The pharmacovigilance program identified 146 suspected adverse drug reactions and classified them reasonably as possible (27%), probable (69%), and certain (4%). These were attributed mainly to pregabalin and tramadol. The home pharmacotherapy follow-up pilot program cared for patients with different cancer diagnoses and drug-related problems (DRP), which were identified and classified (according to second Granada Consensus) for pharmaceutical intervention as DRP 1 (5%), DRP 2 (10%), DRP 3 (14%), DRP 4 (19%), DRP 5 (24%), or DRP 6 (28%). This report provides information concerning the accurate use of medication and, above all, an opportunity for Mexican pharmacists to become a part of health teams seeking to resolve drug-related problems.

Keywords

  • Drug Toxicity
  • Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems
  • Mexico
Pharmacy Practice

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