Importance of the pharmacotherapy review service in home care: a narrative review

Abstract

Objective: To address the importance of the pharmacotherapy review service performed by the pharmacist in the context of home care through a narrative review. Literature review: Most patients who receive home assistance, visit or home care have many comorbidities, including chronic diseases, use extensive and complex drug therapy and are elderly. Allied to this profile, the frequent transition of care services, passing through different prescribers, makes these patients more susceptible to drug-related problems. In the literature, studies were found that demonstrated the high prevalence of DRPs in patients of this type of health service, as well as the effectiveness of the comprehensive review of medications carried out by pharmacists in the detection, prevention and resolution of these DRPs in home care. Final considerations: The importance of the pharmacist's clinical role in home care was evidenced, mainly by performing the pharmacotherapy review service, which allows reaching the desired therapeutic results and minimizing MRPs in patients in this modality.