Importance of Pharmacy Practice

Importance of Pharmacy Practice

Having seen the background, definition and highlights of pharmacy practice, let’s now look unto the importance of pharmacy practice

• In geriatric pharmacy practice:

 pharmacy practice is important because, Elderly patients are unique in that they possess an altered metabolic capacity for medications due to, for example, increased body fat and water, decreased muscle mass, decreased cardiac output and perfusion, decreased protein binding, reduced liver function, and reduced physiologic reserve


• all of which lead to unique medication selection and dosing requirements compared to younger adults.

• As a result of concomitant disease states, multiple medications are often prescribed for elderly patients by a variety of providers.

• They also often require additional assistance to understand how to take their medications to avoid possible adverse drug effects

ü     Lack of mobility, vision/hearing difficulties, and possible altered mental status may further hamper proper use of medications by the elderly.

ü     There is a shortage of healthcare professionals trained in geriatric pharmacotherapy and seniors older than 75 years of age are under-represented in clinical trials, resulting in a poor evidence base on which to make individualized therapeutic decisions.

     o     As the number of elderly patients continues to increase, the contribution of the pharmacist to quality, long-term medication management will require dramatic expansion.

• Pediatric pharmacy practice

• The pediatric patient population spans the years from birth through adolescence, presenting a unique challenge with regard to drug therapy administration and monitoring.

• Unlike adults, dosing is most commonly based on body weight, and pharmacokinetic variables are standardized relative to weight and/or body surface area.

• Since physical growth and organ system maturation are dynamic processes throughout the aging continuum, frequent individual dosing calculations and adjustments are necessary, particularly in infants



• Pediatric disease states, such as cystic fibrosis can further impact pharmacotherapy due to differences in pharmacokinetics seen in this particular subset of patients.

• Pediatric patients are under-represented in clinical trials, resulting in an inadequate evidence base on which to make individualized therapeutic decisions.

• Most commercially available drugs are not formulated for use in infants and children

• In addition, the pediatric patient population poses a higher risk for medication errors.

• Pediatric patients are three times more likely to suffer from a medication error; and a relatively small magnitude of error, as compared to adults, may result in more serious consequences, especially in the youngest, most vulnerable patients.

• Pediatric patients frequently experience adverse drug reactions similar to adults, but adverse reactions in the pediatric population may be harder to recognize or be of greater or lesser intensity

• The practice of pharmacy may include but is not limited to:

i. The custody, preparation and dispensing of medicines and pharmaceutical products

ii. The selection and provision of non-prescription medicine therapies and therapeutic aids;

iii. Health promotion, including health screening;

iv. Administration of medicines, including injectable medicines

v. Researching and evaluating information and providing evidence-based advice and recommendations on medicines and medicine-related health issues;

vi. Teaching and advising;

vii. Policy development;

viii. Management;

ix. Manufacturing; and

x. Auditing