Pharmacy (Aug 2022)

The Pharmacist’s Role in Managing COVID-19 in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients: A Review of Existing Strategies and Future Implications

  • Mohammed Salim Karattuthodi,
  • Shabeer Ali Thorakkattil,
  • Suhaj Abdulsalim,
  • Sathvik Belagodu Sridhar,
  • Sainul Abideen Parakkal,
  • Savera Arain,
  • Hafees Madathil,
  • Ajmal Karumbaru Kuzhiyil,
  • Mamdouh Mohammed Ahmed Ageeli,
  • Mazhuvanchery Kesavan Unnikrishnan

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy10040094
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 4
p. 94

Abstract

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The global burden of the COVID-19 pandemic has not only disrupted healthcare delivery but has also compromised patients’ access to healthcare on account of the scarcity of medications and trained healthcare professionals. COVID-19 has been particularly challenging for patient subpopulations constituting immunocompromised individuals, geriatric patients, and those afflicted by chronic ailments. Reports indicate that diminished kidney function in chronic kidney disease (CKD) renders patients highly susceptible to complications during COVID-19 treatment. Pharmacists, being medication experts, have a significant role in making treatment decisions during COVID-19 infection. This article describes pharmacists’ interventions for monitoring and managing COVID-19 in patients with CKD. Given the massive increase in off-label use of medications to treat COVID-19, pharmacists can contribute substantially towards dosing decisions, reporting adverse medication events, and managing drug–drug interactions in COVID-19 patients suffering from CKD. In addition to traditional methods of delivering their services, the pharmacist should also adopt innovative tele-health systems to optimize patient care and ensure that patients receive safe and effective therapy during the pandemic.

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