Revealing treatment-related problems for outpatients with alarming health status in the United Arab Emirates

Objectives: To explore types and frequencies of treatment-related problems (TRPs) amongst outpatients with chronic diseases recruited through community pharmacies and clinics in the UAE via conducting the medication management review (MMR) service. Methods: This observational study was conducted over three months in 2013 in the UAE. Ethical approval was obtained, and patients were recruited randomly by two pharmacists from different outpatient settings. Patient interview was conducted at the community pharmacy or clinic to collect demographic data, followed by a visit to the patient's home to collect the medical data. TRPs for each patient were identified by the clinical pharmacist. Key findings: A total of 125 patients (mean age: 52.40 ± 12.60) completed the study. More than half of the patients (57%) were classified overweight (BMI > 24.90 kg/m²), and many (22%) were smokers. Mean number of medical conditions was 2.77 ± 1.44; mean number of medications taken was 3.12 ± 1.29. Most prevalent diseases included diabetes mellitus (24%), hypertension (21%), coronary artery disease (11%) and asthma (9%). Mean number of identified TRPs was 1.76 ± 1.44 per patient. The most common TRP categories were inappropriate adherence (68.5%), inappropriate dosage regimen (35.4%), untreated conditions (29.2%) and ineffective/incomplete drug therapy (26.2%). Conclusions: Prevalence of TRPs among outpatients living in the UAE is a concern that needs addressing. None adherence is a major TRP amongst patients with chronic conditions. The MMR service delivered by pharmacists is needed to identify, prevent and resolve outpatients’ TRPs.