Publications by authors named "D McCahon"
Background: There has been significant investment in pharmacists working in UK general practice to improve the effective and safe use of medicines. However, evidence of how to optimise collaboration between GPs and pharmacists in the context of polypharmacy (multiple medication) is lacking.
Aim: To explore GP and pharmacist views and experiences of in-person, interprofessional collaborative discussions (IPCDs) as part of a complex intervention to optimise medication use for patients with polypharmacy in general practice.
Article Synopsis
- Prescription medication sharing involves the lending or borrowing of prescribed drugs, which can lead to health risks such as side effects and more severe illnesses.
- A systematic review analyzed 19 studies, revealing a wide prevalence of sharing (13% to 78%), with analgesics being the most commonly shared medications, followed by antibiotics and allergy drugs, often due to running out of meds, cost issues, or emergencies.
- Key factors influencing sharing behaviors included demographics like age and gender, as well as the presence of unused medications at home, highlighting the need for further research on the underlying causes and risks associated with this practice.
Improving Medicines use in People with Polypharmacy in Primary Care (IMPPP): Protocol for a multicentre cluster randomised trial comparing a complex intervention for medication optimization against usual care.
NIHR Open Res
November 2022
Introduction: Polypharmacy is increasingly common, and associated with undesirable consequences. Polypharmacy management necessitates balancing therapeutic benefits and risks, and varying clinical and patient priorities. Current guidance for managing polypharmacy is not supported by high quality evidence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Clinical medication reviews are a recognised strategy to address polypharmacy, a key part of general practice and positively associated with patient safety and clinical effectiveness. To date there has been little investigation of the patient perspective of medication reviews.
Objective: To explore patient experiences of medication review including the processes and activities that led up to and shaped the review.
Background: Medication review is a core aspect of medicine optimisation, yet existing models of review vary substantially in structure and content and are not necessarily easy to implement in clinical practice. This study aimed to use evidence from the existing literature to identify key medication review components and use this to inform the design of an improved review model.
Methods: A systematic review was conducted (PROSPERO: CRD42018109788) to identify randomised control trials of stand-alone medication review in adults (18+ years).