Grézard C, Rivard J, Robinson P, Leboucher G, Charpiat B. Promoting oral potassium administration in a tertiary care hospital: An eleven-year study.
Ann Pharm Fr 2018;
77:38-45. [PMID:
30301524 DOI:
10.1016/j.pharma.2018.09.003]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Potassium is used to treat or prevent hypokalemia and exhibits all the characteristics of an intravenous to oral therapy conversion program. Despite this, the intravenous route for potassium replacement seems frequently unjustified.
OBJECTIVES
To determine the impact of a conversion program on the use of intravenous and oral galenic forms in a university tertiary care hospital.
METHODS
Two promotion campaigns were conducted in 2006 and 2009. The following years this was completed by pharmacist interventions during prescription analysis and face-to-face discussions with physicians during ward rounds. The consumption of products containing potassium was obtained by analyzing the hospital's financial database.
RESULTS
The proportion of the oral route increased from 18% in 2006 to 22% in 2011, and from 25% in 2012 to 44% in 2016; the increase was significantly greater in the second period (P<0.0001). In 2016, in emergency, pulmonology, infectious diseases, and cardiology departments, the proportion of oral use ranged from 57% and 82%. The greatest progression from 2006 to 2016 was found for intensive care (4% vs. 12%) and visceral surgery departments (9% vs. 34%) that increased approximately four-fold, followed by the emergency department (28% vs. 57%) that increased approximately two-fold.
CONCLUSION
Promoting the oral route for potassium replacement modifies prescriber habits and is followed by a notable increase in the proportion of potassium administered orally irrespective of department type.
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