Surveys of drug-related therapy problems of patients using medicines for allergy, asthma and pain

Objective — To determine the incidence of drug‐related therapy problems (DRTPs) among patients obtaining medicines for allergy, asthma or pain. Method — Problem detection interventions at the pharmacies were carried out as project‐like activities. Pharmacy staff members used open‐ended questions to detect all DRTPs in patients presenting prescriptions for medicine for allergy, asthma and pain and in people buying over‐the‐counter (OTC) medicines for allergy. The data were collected under regular health care conditions and the study can therefore be considered as a survey of the epidemiology of DRTPs among the selected groups of patients. Setting — Swedish community pharmacies during two one‐year nationwide disease management programmes on allergy and pain. Key findings — Of the 44,504 patients with prescriptions registered in the study, 13,895 (31 per cent) with DRTPs were detected. Of 1,135 people buying OTC medicines for hay fever/pollen allergy, 144 (13 per cent) with DRTPs were detected. Conclusion — The study indicates that about one‐third of patients with prescriptions have DRTPs. Only a fraction of all DRTPs are apparently discovered in the regular dispensing process at the pharmacies. Pharmacy staff need to use more active interventions, such as dialogue with open‐ended questions, to efficiently identify and help patients with DRTPs.