Pharmacotherapeutic monitoring of oncological patients in palliative care during hospitalization

Abstract

of cancer patients admitted to an exclusive palliative care unit at a reference institute in Rio de Janeiro. Method: An observational, descriptive, retrospective study with a quantitative approach was conducted. The population consisted of patients admitted and under pharmaceutical care monitoring from June 2022 to May 2023. Data were collected from physical medical records, institutional electronic systems, and specific spreadsheets. Sociodemographic, clinical, and pharmacotherapeutic variables were analyzed. Results: A total of 283 patients were evaluated, ranging in age from 21 to 85 years, with the majority being 60 years or older (n=153; 54.1%; mean age = 60.1; standard deviation = 8.2) and predominantly female (n=186; 65.7%). The most frequent primary tumor site was the digestive system (n=56; 19.8%) followed by breast and gynecological sites (n=55; 19.4%). Regarding comorbidities, most patients had at least one (n=166; 58.7%), with the circulatory system (n=121; 42.7%) being predominant. The percentage of patients with DRP was 50.9% (n=144). A total of 298 DRP were observed, among which the non-use of the necessary medication for the patient was highlighted (n=106; 35.6%). A total of 302 interventions were performed, mainly regarding the inclusion of a new medication (n=87; 28.8%). There was a 93% acceptance rate of the interventions performed. Conclusion: The clinical role of the pharmacist within a multidisciplinary team enables the identification of Drug-Related Problems (DRPs), thereby contributing to the rational and safe use of medications through the optimization of prescriptions and rationalization of pharmacotherapy.