Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Administration, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Maiduguri, P.M.B 1069, Maiduguri, 60023, Borno State, Nigeria
Okoro, R.N., Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Administration, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Maiduguri, P.M.B 1069, Maiduguri, 60023, Borno State, Nigeria; Ngong, C.K., Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Administration, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Maiduguri, P.M.B 1069, Maiduguri, 60023, Borno State, Nigeria
The aim of the present study was to ascertain the level of patient's antihypertensive medication counselling provided by Pharmacists. One hundred and fifty two (152) outpatients that visited the consultant outpatient clinic of the cardiology unit of the department of medicine, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), Maiduguri, Borno state, Nigeria were interviewed using a self-administered pre-tested structured, mostly closed ended questionnaire. Data analysis was done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16 for windows®. The study participants had a mean (SD) age of 49.3 + 1.0. Out of 95(62.5%) that received medication counselling, 23(15.1%), 52(34.2%), and 20(13.2%) were counselled by medical doctors, pharmacists, and sales personnel respectively. There was a significant association between the medication counselling provided and the providers. Only 41(27.0%) of the participants exclusively bought their antihypertensive medications from the hospital pharmacies. One half of the study population 76(50.0%) did not know the names of the antihypertensive medications they were taking. Large proportion of the study participants 61(40.1%) did not know the duration of their therapy. Outstanding high number of the participants 106(69.7%) did not know the side effects of their antihypertensive medications. Majority of the participants 120(78.9%) sometimes missed to take their medications, and there was a significant association between action taken towards the missed dose(s) and missed dose(s) of antihypertensive medications. This study revealed a low level counselling of patients on their antihypertensive medication by pharmacists.
antihypertensive agent; adult; aged; article; controlled study; drug effect; drug information; educational status; female; human; major clinical study; male; medical information; Nigeria; outcome assessment; participant observation; patient assessment; patient attitude; patient counseling; pharmacist; professional competence; professional knowledge
