Clinical pharmacists education and counselling in patients with co-morbid hypertension and diabetes in a Municipal hospital in Ghana

Abstract

Hypertension and diabetes co-morbidity are very common chronic diseases in today’s world. Patients with such conditions may have medication related problems. Assessment was made on the impact of clinical pharmacists’ led education and counselling in patients with co-morbid hypertension and diabetes in a hospital setting. This study was done at the medical outpatient department (OPD) of a Municipal Hospital in Tema in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. This was an intervention study conducted in patients with co-morbid hypertension and diabetes (n=338). Patients were randomized to the case group (n=144) and the control group (n=194). Patients in the case group received the education and counselling from the clinical pharmacists’, whilst patients in the control group had the usual care. Patients in the case group had a better knowledge (p<0.0001) and adhered (p<0.0001) to their medication than those in the control group. The case group had a significant reduction in body mass index (p=0.005), systolic blood pressure (p<0.0001), diastolic blood pressure (p<0.0001) and fasting plasma blood glucose (p<0.0001). The clinical pharmacists’ led counselling and education to support the management of co-morbid hypertension and diabetes at the hospital helped improved patient outcomes. Key words: Co-morbid, diabetes, hypertension, intervention, counselling, education.