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The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 264 No 7084 p281
February 19, 2000 News

Study to look at asthma monitoring by community pharmacists

Community pharmacists in Durham are to take part in a trial which will examine how the condition of patients with asthma is affected by monitoring by pharmacists.
Mrs Margaret Scott-Ledger (chief pharmacist, Darlington Memorial hospital) told The Journal on February 14 that patients would be recruited for the study from two clinics run by consultant chest physicians from the hospital and local general medical practitioners.
One group of patients would be asked to visit a community pharmacy for monitoring when required and would have their condition assessed at each visit. They would be counselled on their medication regimes, inhaler technique, clinical symptoms and other preventative measures using asthma management guidelines for pharmacists developed by the hospital. The pharmacists involved would receive a referral letter from each patient's GP stating the patient's full medical history and prescribed medications.

asthma patients
Monitoring of asthma patients by pharmacists is to be compared with monitoring by GPs

The second group would be seen by their GPs every two months. Both groups would be asked to record peak expiratory flow rates (PEFRs) twice daily.
The study is to run for 12 months and the effect on patients of pharmacist interventions will be assessed by looking at the number of GP visits, hospital admissions, time off work, PEFR scoring and medication compliance. Other factors which are to be taken into consideration are drug wastage, respiratory infections, exercise and allergic conditions.
The pharmacists who will be taking part in the trial are to undertake a training course organised by Dr Labib Tadros (lead clinical pharmacist, Darlington Memorial hospital). The hospital plans to make the asthma course available to other pharmacists later this year. Details of the pharmacist asthma management guidelines can be obtained from the pharmacy department at Darlington memorial hospital on 01325 743477.