Pharmacist role essay

Submitted By rkarkar
Words: 491
Pages: 2

“Should pharmacists take over the management of therapy in hypertensive patients?” There are about 67 million American adults (31%) that are reported to have high blood pressure in the United States. High blood pressure greatly increases the risk of heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States.1 In an article put forth by the American Heart Association, it was projected that the cost associated with only high blood pressure including health care services, medication and missed days of work was to be $93.5 billion for the year 2010. Furthermore, the annual costs attributed to hypertension are expected to increase by $130.4 billion in 2030.2 These startling statistics illustrate the need to improve the management of hypertensive patients. Pharmacists are experts on medication therapy and are ideally suited to be responsible for improving medication use and outcomes.
During my ambulatory care rotation I had the first hand experience of managing hypertensive patients and loved every aspect of the patient interaction. I quickly realized that through ease of access, pharmacists are able to monitor these patients more regularly and offer continuity of care. This is critical to improve health outcomes in patients that may need continual education and follow-up to ensure blood pressure control. With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and the introduction of millions of new patients to the health care system, it is imperative that pharmacists utilize their clinical skills to help care for these patients and close the coverage gap. Monitoring blood pressure does not require labs, but rather proper patient education and consistent blood pressure measurements to ensure a patient is managed appropriately. It may take months for a patient to see his/her primary care physician, leading to a potential decline in the patient’s health. Access and cost associated with a physician follow-up is a huge barrier that exists for patients. Pharmacists can offset cost and undoubtedly optimize