The Effect of Education by Pharmacists for Hyperlipidemic Patients Treated With Statins on Patient's Beliefs About Proper Use of Medications

Hyperlipidemia is one of the most common chronic diseases found in millions of people. Studies have shown that the patient’s adherences to medication instructions provided by the pharmacist or doctor are important, yet unfortunately many patients do not adhere to proper usage of these drugs. The aim of this study was the evaluation of the effect of education by pharmacists for hyperlipidemic patients treated with statins on patient beliefs about the proper use of medications and compliance.
In this interventional clinical trial study, the studied population was all hospitalized patients with heart disease treated with statins at Hamadan Farshchian hospital from January 2016 to June 2016. The sample size in this study was 50. Information was obtained in relation to each patient, using 2 questionnaires including demographic characteristics and beliefs questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the SPSS.19 software and t test, Mann-Whitney, and X2 tests. Significance level was considered less than 0.05
Statistical test results showed that before the intervention, treatment belief was not significantly different between the 2 groups (P = 0.54), yet after the intervention the treatment belief increased in the intervention group (P = 0.007) and concern about using the drug declined.
These findings suggest that education by pharmacists in patients with hyperlipidemia could have a positive and effective role on their belief about the proper use of drugs. In other words, it could have a role in the control of chronic diseases and could help promote public health.