Optimization of Drug Utilization and Medication Adherence

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Topic focuses on optimizing medicine use and adherence to provide a comprehensive overview of current trends and future directions in drug utilization research. Recognizing that medication-taking behavior is highly complex and individualized, this issue emphasizes the need for multifactorial strategies to enhance medication adherence and evidence of methods to analyze it. Hence, we invite original research articles, reviews, and case studies addressing strategies to improve medication adherence, evaluating the economic impact of non-adherence, and developing innovative approaches to optimize drug utilization. Studies examining strategies to analyze and report medication adherence data as well as the role of healthcare providers, patient education, and technology use in promoting adherence are also welcome. Both quantitative and qualitative (and mixed) methods will be considered. Given that medication adherence is particularly crucial for chronic conditions, we encourage contributions exploring challenges and solutions in chronic disease management and the effectiveness of intervention programs.

Prof. Dr. Enrica Menditto
Dr. Sara Mucherino
Dr. Ignacio Aznar-Lou
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Journal of Clinical Medicine jcm	3.0	5.7	2012	16 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Pharmaceuticals pharmaceuticals	4.3	6.1	2004	13.9 Days	CHF 2900	Submit
Pharmaceutics pharmaceutics	4.9	7.9	2009	15.5 Days	CHF 2900	Submit
Pharmacy pharmacy	2.0	-	2013	24.6 Days	CHF 1800	Submit
Healthcare healthcare	2.4	3.5	2013	20.3 Days	CHF 2700	Submit

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Open AccessArticle

Appropriateness of Prescribing Transmucosal Immediate-Release Fentanyl in the Emergency Room, During Hospitalization, and at Discharge: A Retrospective Study

by Gary Punjabi and Elena Ramírez

Pharmaceuticals 2024, 17(12), 1609; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph17121609 - 28 Nov 2024

Viewed by 614

Abstract

Background/Objectives: This study evaluated the appropriateness of transmucosal immediate-release fentanyl (TIRF) prescriptions in a Madrid emergency room during 2019 and 2022, following a 2018 warning about off-label use. Methods: TIRF prescription in the emergency room search yielded 993 patients in 2019 [...] Read more.

Background/Objectives: This study evaluated the appropriateness of transmucosal immediate-release fentanyl (TIRF) prescriptions in a Madrid emergency room during 2019 and 2022, following a 2018 warning about off-label use. Methods: TIRF prescription in the emergency room search yielded 993 patients in 2019 and 1499 in 2022, of which 140 were randomized for the study, 70 in 2019, and 70 in 2022. Dose appropriateness and indication for TIRF were analyzed according to established criteria. Results: Despite a high prevalence of cancer diagnoses (77.9%, 109/140), only 32.9% (46/140) of patients met the appropriateness criteria pre-hospitalization. This improved to 42.5% (51/120) at discharge, but the change was not statistically significant overall. However, focusing on surviving patients reveals a significant improvement in appropriateness, increasing from 30.83% (37/120) to 42.50% (p = 0.002). This improvement was particularly pronounced in 2022 (p = 0.0269), but not in 2019 (p = 0.0771). Interestingly, appropriateness in patients with prior TIRF prescriptions remained relatively stable from pre-hospitalization (46.75%) to discharge (48.78%). A concerningly high proportion of patients with cancer diagnoses (68.75%) received low-dose opioid therapy (<60 MME) at discharge, and 36.8% of patients over 80 years old were co-prescribed benzodiazepines, contradicting prescribing guidelines. Conclusions: This study found inappropriate TIRF prescriptions were common in an emergency room setting, often due to low pre-hospital opioid doses. While hospitalization improved TIRF appropriateness in survivors, especially in 2022, concerning prescribing practices persisted. This emphasizes the need for better education and interventions to ensure safe and effective TIRF use. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Optimization of Drug Utilization and Medication Adherence)

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