Publication

Abstract : Many reports have documented the ability of anticoagulation management services by clinical pharmacist to help patients receiving anticoagulants especially warfarin therapy achieves better outcomes. The present prospective and interventional study was carried out in stroke inpatient department of a tertiary care teaching hospital for a period of one year. The clinical pharmacist in the anticoagulation service had taken over the responsibilities like therapeutic drug monitoring of all patients of stroke ward, warfarin dosage adjustment in direct and via telephonic calls, management of warfarin related and unrelated problems including ADR monitoring and interaction checking and sorting out it, patient knowledge assessment using a set of validated questionnaires, patient counseling, providing information leaflets etc. Clinical outcomes were measured at the end of study. The establishment of anticoagulation clinic in the hospital helped the Stroke unit in bringing their patients under targeted anticoagulation. It helped in improving patient's knowledge compliance, reducing incidence of interactions and adverse effects. A value plt;0.05 indicated the significant improvement in the patient's knowledge on oral anticoagulation by clinical pharmacist interventions. Thus clinic laid a foundation in building good and healthy relation between physician, pharmacist and patients.