2020 Volume 3 Issue 2 Pages 15-24
Aim: The previous studies on factors of the residual medicines were conducted only through the patients with residual medicines. The aim of this study is to clarify the factors that lead to residual medicine by comparing between groups of patients with and without residual medicines.
Methods: Patients for this study were supported, during study period between April 2016 and March 2018, with a residual medicine protocol, which allowed pharmacists at health insurance pharmacies to decide whether to change the number of prescription days based on the amount of residual medicines. Group of patients without residual medicines (full medicine use group) and group of patients with residual medicines (residual medicine group) were compared. Comparison items were sex, age, hospital department, number of prescribed drugs, number of days per prescription, and classification of drugs by efficacy.
Results: The number of the patients of the full medicine use group was 19,746, and that of the residual medicine group was 1,851. Average ages of two groups were 61.0 and 70.0. Median numbers of prescribed medicines were 2.0 and 4.3, median numbers of days per prescription were 28.0 and 56.0. Percentage of hospital departments visited by patients was high in the rheumatology and the endocrinology in the residual medicine group, and lower in pediatrics. Antidiabetic agents tended to be prescribed more in the residual medicine group.
Conclusion: It might be concluded that old age, having many prescribed drugs, longer prescription durations, and prescriptions for chronic diseases were important factors of residual medicine.
