The study aims to assess the clinical and economic impact of a pharmaceutical care program initiated in the Emergency Department versus conventional follow-up of patients with decompensated heart failure/COPD.
Clinical trial aimed to assess the impact of a pharmaceutical care program initiated in the Emergency Department vs standard care in patients with heart failure and/or COPD, conducted at the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (Barcelona, Spain) between Jan12-Feb13. The researchers hypothesize that a systematic, standardized pharmaceutical care program may be related to a lower frequency of drug related problems (DRP). Moreover, the investigators also hypothesize that 6-month mortality, the average length of the hospital stay, and its related cost may also be decreased. This study was approved by the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau Ethics Committee. Written informed consent will be obtained from the participants . The study will include 100 patients who fulfill all the inclusion criteria, described in the Eligibility Section.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
100
Intensive pharmaceutical care program, initiated in the emergency department, as described in its corresponding arm intervention description.
Standard pharmaceutical care process, initiated at the hospital admission, as described in its corresponding arm intervention description.
Drug Related Problems (DRP)
Patient health outcomes that are not consistent with the objectives of pharmacotherapy and are associated with the use or errors in the use of medicines
Time frame: Participants will be followed for the duration of hospital stay, an expected average of 10 days
Mortality
Patients who died during the following 6 months after inclusion
Time frame: 6-month after inclusion
Average length of the hospital stay
Duration of the stay (in hours) from the emergency episode until discharge from the hospital
Time frame: Participants will be followed for the duration of hospital stay, an expected average of 10 days
Readmissions
Number of visits (emergency department/hospitalization) due to HF and/or COPD decompensation after the first episode (inclusion in the study), in the next 1180 days.
Time frame: 6-month after inclusion
Average cost of hospital stay
Average money spent per patient in Euros.
Time frame: Participants will be followed for the duration of hospital stay, an expected average of 10 days
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