2024 Volume 7 Issue 2 Pages 47-51
The medical role of dementia support team (DST) is increasing with an increasing number of dementia patients. Since Hashima City Hospital lacks a psychiatry department, pharmacists are expected to perform DST activities. Therefore, we retrospectively investigated cases in which pharmacists prescribed medications. Of the 126 patients, 61% (77/126) were suggested prescriptions by pharmacists. The percentage of patients who were taking two or more concomitant sleeping medications decreased statistically significantly (P < 0.01) at the time of discharge compared with the time before admission, and the percentage of patients who were taking benzodiazepines (BZ) or non-BZ sleeping medications tended to decrease at the time of discharge compared with the time before admission. On the other hand, other sleep medications significantly (P < 0.01) increased at discharge compared to pre-hospitalization．The outcome of sleep disturbances improved 81% (21/26). Thus, pharmacists participating in DST and prescribing antipsychotics and sleeping pills can help ensure the proper use of sleeping pills.
