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Availability of information on renal function in Dutch community pharmacies

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Abstract

Background Early detection and monitoring of impaired renal function may prevent drug related problems. Objective To assess the availability of information on patient’s renal function in Dutch community pharmacies, for patients using medication that might need monitoring in case of renal impairment. Methods Per pharmacy, 25 patients aged ≥65 years using at least one drug that requires monitoring, were randomly selected from the pharmacy information system. For these patients, information on renal function [estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)], was obtained from the pharmacy information system. When absent, this information was obtained from the general practitioner (GP). Results Data were collected for 1632 patients. For 1201 patients (74 %) eGFR values were not directly available in the pharmacy, for another 194 patients (12 %) the eGFR value was not up-to-date. For 1082 patients information could be obtained from the GP, resulting in 942 additional recent eGFR values. Finally, recent information on renal function was available for 72 % (n = 1179) of selected patients. Conclusion In patients using drugs that require renal monitoring, information on renal function is often unknown in the pharmacy. For the majority of patients this information can be retrieved from the GP.

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Funding

This study was funded by the Dutch Kidney Foundation (Nierstichting).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht University, PO Box 80082, 3508 TB, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Ellen S. Koster, Daphne Philbert, Michelle Noordam, Nina A. Winters, Lyda Blom & Marcel L. Bouvy

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  1. Ellen S. Koster
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  2. Daphne Philbert
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  3. Michelle Noordam
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  4. Nina A. Winters
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  5. Lyda Blom
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  6. Marcel L. Bouvy
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ellen S. Koster.

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Koster, E.S., Philbert, D., Noordam, M. et al. Availability of information on renal function in Dutch community pharmacies. Int J Clin Pharm 38, 797–801 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-016-0332-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-016-0332-3

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