The impact of pharmacist/physician care on quality of life in elderly heart failure patients: results of the PHARM-CHF randomized controlled trial.

Aims: Patients with heart failure (HF) have impaired quality of life (QoL). The randomized controlled trial PHARM-CHF investigated whether an interdisciplinary intervention consisting of regular contacts with the community pharmacy and weekly dosing aids improves medication adherence in patients with HF. It is unknown how an intervention involving frequent structured pharmacy visits affects QoL.

PHARMacy-based interdisciplinary program for patients with Chronic Heart Failure (PHARM-CHF): rationale and design of a randomized controlled trial, and results of the pilot study.

We report the rationale and design of a community PHARMacy-based prospective randomized controlled interdisciplinary study for ambulatory patients with Chronic Heart Failure (PHARM-CHF) and results of its pilot study. The pilot study randomized 50 patients to a pharmacy-based intervention or usual care for 12 months. It demonstrated the feasibility of the design and showed reduced systolic blood pressure in the intervention group as indicator for improved medication adherence.

Analyses of drugs stored at home by elderly patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: Evidence-based pharmacotherapy improves morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Medication adherence management is important for the effectiveness and safety of treatment. This study investigated drugs stored at home by elderly CHF patients.

Drug adherence in patients taking oral anticoagulation therapy.

Oral anticoagulation has proven to reduce mortality and morbidity of thromboembolic events. One of the most important determinants of the effectiveness and safety of anticoagulation therapy is the adherence to the prescribed therapy. Vitamin K antagonists are characterized by under-utilization, a narrow therapeutic window and multiple food and drug interactions which contribute to a variable dose-response relationship with the risk of insufficient protection and/or increased bleeding risk.

Perceived psychosocial stress and cardiovascular risk factors in obese and non-obese patients.

Background: Patients after their first myocardial infarction are characterized by increased levels of perceived stress and abdominal obesity compared to a matched control group. In the setting of primary prevention, the association of stress and cardiovascular risk factors in obese and non-obese individuals is not known.

Methods And Results: For this prospective cross-sectional study, primary care physicians recruited consecutive patients with BMI >30 and the next two individuals presenting with a BMI < 30 as controls (n=414).