Level of hypertension treatment adherence during pandemic

Adherence to antihypertensive medications is the cornerstone for achieving metabolic syndrome control. The aim of this study was to explore how the pandemic has affected the adherence of patients with high BP to prescribed antihypertensive drugs. This multicentre observational study utilized self-completed questionnaires among patients between June and November 2020. Overall, 842 patients were included in the study. The likelihood of adherence was assessed using the 5‐item version of the Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS-5Professor Rob Horne). The average MARS score of the sample was 16.81, the median was 4.162, and the most common value was 3 (24.5% of respondents) for the patients treated during the pandemic. The study suggests that several sociodemographic factors but not the COVID pandemic play a role in treatment adherence

SCREENING AND RISK ASSESSMENT FOR DEPRESSION IN COMMUNITY PHARMACY- PILOT STUDY

Background: Depression is the most common mental illness affecting more than 300 million people worldwide and is a significant risk factor for morbidity and mortality. In most cases, it may remain undetected in primary care. Comprehensive screening tools for diagnosing depression might facilitate early detection. As the most accessible health professionals, pharmacists can play an important role in helping to identify individuals at risk. Objective: To differentiate individuals at risk of depression who are seeking a pharmacist consultation and are promptly directed to a psychiatrist. Methods: Depression screening tools The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2) and (PHQ-9) were applied to 83 individuals with symptoms such as feeling down, tiredness and sleep disturbances for more than 2 weeks, who seek consultation at a pharmacy. Screening with the PHQ-2 was the first step. Patients who screen positive were further evaluated with the PHQ-9. Results: In 70% of the individuals, the PHQ-2 test was positive. After completing PHQ-9, it was found that approximately 55% out of them had indications of mild to moderate depression and were directed to a psychiatrist for further evaluation. Over 50% of suspected depressive individuals had a concomitant chronic disease. Conclusion: Screening for depression should be a routine part of healthcare. Particular attention should be paid to patients with comorbid chronic illnesses, as depression often remains hidden, thus leading to more difficult diagnosis and treatment. Screening would also increase the recognition of depression in patients who have few emotional symptoms but many somatic ones

Analysis of the pharmacotherapeutic effectiveness of the tyrosine kinase inhibitors therapy in patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in a single hematology center in Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Aim. The aim of this study is to evaluate treatment retrospectively, response to the therapy and outcomes in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and to what extent the European recommendations of LeukemiaNET (ELN) are followed at the Hematology Clinic, University Hospital “St. Georgi”, MU Plovdiv. Methods. All patients with Ph+, BCR-ABL1+ CML who were treated and observed between 01.01.2018 and 12.31.2022 at the clinic were included in the study and were analyzed retrospectively. Results. One hundred and eighty-eight patients with a mean age of 61.26 (21–91) years were analyzed. 151 (80.3%) were in chronic phase (CP), 27 (14.4%) in accelerating one and 10 (5.3%) in blast crisis. The actual overall survival rate was 79.26%, while for CP it is very high – 86.75%, and the mortality rate is 20.74%. All patients received some form of tyrosine kinase inhibitors therapy (TKIs-therapy). The first line TKI was imatinib in 120 patients (64%), and 68 (36%) received a second-generation TKI. Treatment response was monitored with TKIs by RT-qPCR. Conclusion. CML patients treated in the hematology clinic receive standard care in accordance with ELN and BMSH recommendations. Overall survival (OS) in routine care is comparable to published data from international studies. Molecular monitoring provides a good basis for disease control in CP. There are unmet needs in the treatment of patients in advanced stages