ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the results of pharmaceutical intervention in a programme to monitor the drug therapy of type-2 diabetics; and to assess the improvement of the indicators, glycosylated haemoglobin, basal glycaemia, lipid profile, albumin/creatinine, blood pressure, BMI, medication-related problems and adherence. DESIGN: Randomised clinical trial. SETTING: 14 local pharmacies in the province of Pontevedra (Galicia), Spain. SUBJECTS: 126 type-2 diabetics, over 18 years old and who joined voluntarily a monitoring programme, distributed 50-50 into intervention and control groups. VARIABLES: The main variable was HbA1c. Other variables were: clinical indicators of metabolic control (mean basal glycaemia, lipid profile), blood pressure, BMI, medication-related problems, understanding of the illness and its complications, adherence to medical treatment and to changes in life-style, and incidence of complications. METHODS: Introduction and randomisation of patients. Recording of the initial status of the research variables, study and assessment stage, pharmaceutical interventions to detect and resolve any passing medication-related problems and educational activities. Referral to family doctor if his/her intervention required. Follow-up lasted 12 months with monthly scheduled visits and on-demand visits, after which the variables were assessed once more. The stages of study, evaluation, intervention and education did not occur in the control group. DISCUSSION: The study will enable the role of the chemist in achieving the objectives of controlling type-2 diabetes patients to be achieved through educational intervention and assistance in drug therapy monitoring.
