Effect of clinical pharmacy services on the blood pressure of African-American renal transplant patients.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to determine if African-American renal transplant patients who received direct patient care from a clinical pharmacist had better blood pressure control compared to African-American renal transplant patients who did not have clinical pharmacy services.


METHODS
Renal transplant patients were prospectively randomized into an intervention group or a control group. Patients in the intervention group received clinical pharmacy services that included a clinical pharmacist performing patient medication reviews, with emphasis on preventing or resolving medication-related problems and providing medication recommendations. Patients in the control group received routine clinic services, but had no clinical pharmacist interaction. Analysis was performed to detect differences between the intervention and control groups in baseline and quarterly systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) for one year post-study enrollment.


RESULTS
There were no differences between the intervention (N = 13) and control (N = 10) groups in baseline blood pressures or in the percentage of hypertensive patients. Significant differences in the change in SBP and DBP from baseline between the intervention and control groups were observed at the second, third, and fourth quarters of the study, favoring the intervention group (P < .01). Mean SBP was significantly lower in the intervention group at the second (137.8 +/- 15.0 vs 168.9 +/- 15.3), third (135.9 +/- 11.7 vs 164.6 +/- 20.1), and fourth (145.3 +/- 16.8 vs 175.8 +/- 33.9) quarters of the study (P < .05). Mean DBP was significantly lower in the intervention group at the second (76.0 +/- 11.8 vs 84.9 +/- 6.1) and fourth (77.0 +/- 10.2 vs 91.8 +/- 12.0) quarters (P < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Direct patient care services provided by a clinical pharmacist, in addition to routine clinical services, have a positive effect on the blood pressure of African-American renal transplant patients. A multidisciplinary team that includes a clinical pharmacist is beneficial to patient care.
Chisholm
Marie A
MA
mchishol@mail.mcg.edu
Mulloy
Laura L
LL
Jagadeesan
Muralidharan
M
Martin
Bradley C
BC
DiPiro
Joseph T
JT
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006302:Health Services Research; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000208:ethnology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010595:Pharmacists; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011787:Quality of Health Care