Assessment of treatment-related problems and associated factors among hospitalized patients in the United Arab Emirates: a retrospective study

Objectives To investigate the prevalence and type of treatment-related problems and associated factors among hospitalized patients admitted to internal medical wards in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods This retrospective study was conducted over a period of 6 months. Ethical approval was obtained, and 278 patient medical records were collected and reviewed. Treatment-related problems (TRPs) were identified and classified by a specialized clinical pharmacist, and a suitable intervention was suggested for each TRPs. Associated risk factors and drug classes were also investigated. Key findings A total of 1762 treatment-related problems were identified, with an average of 6.33 +/- 2.85 problems per patient. The most common treatment-related problems in this study were drug interactions, efficacy dosage regimen, additional monitoring needed and untreated conditions. Cardiovascular drugs and antidiabetic drugs were the most commonly involved. Treatment-related problems were significantly associated with number of medications (P = 0.035) and number of medical conditions (P = 0.001). Conclusions The high prevalence of TRPs among hospitalized patients in the UAE is alarming. This study highlights the importance of clinical pharmacy services to help identify and reduce treatment-related problems. Patients with multiple medical conditions and patients using multiple medications should be closely assessed for TRPs.