Role of Pharmacy Professionals in Reducing Antimicrobial Resistance in Hospital Settings

Authors

  • Fawaz Essa A Altamimi
  • Bandar Hamdan Ghareeb Alanazi
  • Fadiyah Salem Sakhani Alruwaili
  • Alanazi Ahmed Hulayyil M
  • Fares Farhan Marmer Alanazi
  • Naif Mohammad Falah Alenezi
  • Salma Nafea Noman Alenaizi
  • Fawaz Khalaf Mashaan Alanazi
  • Abdulkarim Matar Alanazi
  • Saleh Ayed Jalawi Alshammary
  • Madloul Arrak Fawaz Alshammari

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22399/ijcesen.4025

Keywords:

Pharmacy professionals, antimicrobial resistance, hospital settings, medication management, therapeutic guidelines

Abstract

Pharmacy professionals play a crucial role in combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) within hospital settings through their expertise in medication management and therapeutic guidelines. They are responsible for optimizing the use of antimicrobials by ensuring appropriate selection, dosing, and duration of therapy based on individual patient factors. By participating in multidisciplinary rounds, pharmacy professionals can collaborate with physicians, nurses, and infection control teams to develop tailored treatment plans that minimize the misuse and overuse of antibiotics. Furthermore, their involvement in monitoring patient outcomes helps identify ineffective therapies and encourages the use of culture and sensitivity results to guide therapy choices, thereby reducing the emergence of resistant strains. In addition to their clinical responsibilities, pharmacy professionals play an essential role in educating healthcare teams and patients about the importance of antimicrobial stewardship. They can lead or participate in training sessions that inform staff regarding the appropriate use of antimicrobials, highlighting the risks of resistance and strategies to mitigate them. Pharmacy professionals also contribute to the development and implementation of hospital protocols and guidelines that promote rational antibiotic use. By actively engaging in surveillance activities and antibiotic utilization reviews, they help in tracking resistance patterns and developing strategies for intervention. Ultimately, the proactive involvement of pharmacy professionals is vital for fostering a culture of responsible antimicrobial use and enhancing the overall effectiveness of infection control in hospital environments.

References

1. Lee C-R, Cho IH, Jeong BC, Lee SH. Strategies to Minimize Antibiotic Resistance. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2013;10(9):4274–4305.

2. Okeke IN, Laxminarayan R, Bhutta ZA, Duse AG, Jenkins P, O'Brien TF. Antimicrobial resistance in developing countries. Part I: recent trends and current status. Lancet Infect Dis. 2005;5(8):481-493.

3. Marston HD, Dixon DM, Knisely JM, Palmore TN, Fauci AS. Antimicrobial resistance. JAMA. 2016;316(11):1193–1204.

4. Laxminarayan R, Chaudhury RR. Antibiotic resistance in India: drivers and opportunities for action. PLoS Med. 2016;13(3):e1001974.

5. WHO. Global action plan on antimicrobial resistance. 2015.

6. Antimicrobial Resistance: Tackling a crisis for the health and wealth of nations. The Review on Antimicrobial Resistance. 2014.

7. Williford SL, Johnson DF. Impact of pharmacist counseling on medication knowledge and compliance. Mil Med. 1995;160(11):561–564.

8. Smith RE, Olin BR. Wellness: pharmacy Education's role and responsibility. Am J Pharm Educ. 2010;74(4):69.

9. Magedanz L, Silliprandi EM, dos Santos RP. Impact of the pharmacist on a multidisciplinary team in an antimicrobial stewardship program: a quasi-experimental study. Int J Clin Pharm. 2012;34(2):290–294.

10. Booth JL, Mullen AB, Thomson DAM, Johnstone C, Galbraith SJ, Bryson SM, McGovern EM. Antibiotic treatment of urinary tract infection by community pharmacists: a cross-sectional study. Br J Gen Pract. 2013;63(609):e244–e249.

11. Farley TM, Shelsky C, Powell S, Farris KB, Carter BL. Effect of clinical pharmacist intervention on medication discrepancies following hospital discharge. Int J Clin Pharm. 2014;36(2):430–437.

12. Awad A, Abahussain E. Health promotion and education activities of community pharmacists in Kuwait. Pharm World Sci. 2010;32(2):146–153.

13. Ogbo PU, Aina BA, Aderemi-Williams RI. Management of acute diarrhea in children by community pharmacists in Lagos, Nigeria. Pharm Pract. 2014;12(1):376.

14. Al-Niemat SI, Aljbouri TM, Goussous LS, Efaishat RA, Salah RK. Antibiotic prescribing patterns in outpatient emergency clinics at queen Rania Al Abdullah II Children's hospital, Jordan, 2013. Oman Med J. 2014;29(4):250–254.

15. Ab Rahman N, Teng CL, Sivasampu S. Antibiotic prescribing in public and private practice: a cross-sectional study in primary care clinics in Malaysia. BMC Infect Dis. 2016;16:208.

16. Shet A, Sundaresan S, Forsberg BC. Pharmacy-based dispensing of antimicrobial agents without prescription in India: appropriateness and cost burden in the private sector. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control. 2015;4(1):55.

17. Almaaytah A, Mukattash TL, Hajaj J. Dispensing of non-prescribed antibiotics in Jordan. Patient Prefer Adherence. 2015;9:1389–1395.

18. Erku DA, Mekuria AB, Surur AS, Gebresillassie BM. Extent of dispensing prescription-only medications without a prescription in community drug retail outlets in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a simulated-patient study. Drug Healthc Patient Saf. 2016;8:65–70.

19. Chang J, Ye D, Lv B, Jiang M, Zhu S, Yan K, Tian Y, Fang Y. Sale of antibiotics without a prescription at community pharmacies in urban China: a multicentre cross-sectional survey. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2017;72(4):1235–1242.

20. Walia K, Ohri VC, Mathai D. Antimicrobial stewardship Programme of I: antimicrobial stewardship programme (AMSP) practices in India. Indian J Med Res. 2015;142(2):130–138.

21. Padget M, Guillemot D, Delarocque-Astagneau E. Measuring antibiotic consumption in low-income countries: a systematic review and integrative approach. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2016;48(1):27–32.

22. Miller R, Goodman C. Performance of retail pharmacies in low- and middle-income Asian settings: a systematic review. Health Policy Plan. 2016;31(7):940–953.

23. Fang Y, Yang S, Feng B, Ni Y, Zhang K. Pharmacists' perception of pharmaceutical care in community pharmacy: a questionnaire survey in Northwest China. Health Soc Care Community. 2011;19(2):189–197.

24. Hashmi FK, Hassali MA, Khalid A, Saleem F, Aljadhey H, Babar ZUD, Bashaar M. A qualitative study exploring perceptions and attitudes of community pharmacists about extended pharmacy services in Lahore,Pakistan. BMC Health Serv Res. 2017;17(1):500.

25. Sancar M, Okuyan B, Apikoglu-Rabus S, Izzettin FV. Opinion and knowledge towards pharmaceutical care of the pharmacists participated in clinical pharmacy and pharmaceutical care continuing education program. Turkish J Pharmaceutical Sci. 2013;10(2):245–254.

26. Kho BP, Hassali MA, Lim CJ, Saleem F. A qualitative study exploring professional pharmacy services offered by community pharmacies in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia. J Pharm Health Serv Res. 2017;8(3):201–208.

27. Bilal AI, Tilahun Z, Gebretekle GB, Ayalneh B, Hailemeskel B, Engidawork E. Current status, challenges and the way forward for clinical pharmacy service in Ethiopian public hospitals. BMC Health Serv Res. 2017;17(1):359.

28. Salim AM, Elhada AH, Elgizoli B. Exploring clinical pharmacists' perception of their impact on healthcare in Khartoum state, Sudan. J Res Pharm Pract. 2016;5(4):272–278.

29. Farina SS, Romano-Lieber NS. Pharmaceutical care in pharmacies: is there a changing process? Saúde e Sociedade. 2009;18:7–18.

30. AbuRuz S, Al-Ghazawi M, Snyder A. Pharmaceutical care in a community-based practice setting in Jordan: where are we now with our attitudes and perceived barriers? Int J Pharm Pract. 2012;20(2):71–79.

31. Katoue MG, Awad AI, Schwinghammer TL, Kombian SB. Pharmaceutical care in Kuwait: hospital pharmacists' perspectives. Int J Clin Pharm. 2014;36(6):1170–1178.

32. El Hajj MS, Al-Saeed HS, Khaja M. Qatar pharmacists' understanding, attitudes, practice and perceived barriers related to providing pharmaceutical care. Int J Clin Pharm. 2016;38(2):330–343.

33. Brink AJ, Messina AP, Feldman C, Richards GA, Becker PJ, Goff DA, Bauer KA, Nathwani D, van den Bergh D. Antimicrobial stewardship across 47 south African hospitals: an implementation study. Lancet Infect Dis. 2016;16(9):1017–1025.

34. Zhou Y, Ma LY, Zhao X, Tian SH, Sun LY, Cui YM. Impact of pharmacist intervention on antibiotic use and prophylactic antibiotic use in urology clean operations. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2015;40(4):404–408.

35. Shen J, Sun Q, Zhou X, Wei Y, Qi Y, Zhu J, Yan T. Pharmacist interventions on antibiotic use in inpatients with respiratory tract infections in a Chinese hospital. Int J Clin Pharm. 2011;33(6):929–933.

36. Ellis K, Rubal-Peace G, Chang V, Liang E, Wong N, Campbell S. Antimicrobial stewardship for a geriatric behavioral health population. Antibiotics. 2016;5(1):8.

37. Okada N, Fushitani S, Azuma M, Nakamura S, Nakamura T, Teraoka K, Watanabe H, Abe M, Kawazoe K, Ishizawa K. Clinical evaluation of pharmacist interventions in patients treated with anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus agents in a hematological Ward. Biol Pharm Bull. 2016;39(2):295–300.

38. Northey A, McGuren T, Stupans I. Patients' antibiotic knowledge: a trial assessing the impact of verbal education. Int J Pharm Pract. 2015;23(2):158–160.

39. Yen YH, Chen HY, Wuan-Jin L, Lin YM, Shen WC, Cheng KJ. Clinical and economic impact of a pharmacist-managed i.V.-to-p.O. conversion service for levofloxacin in Taiwan. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2012;50(2):136–141.

40. Dunn K, O'Reilly A, Silke B, Rogers T, Bergin C. Implementing a pharmacist-led sequential antimicrobial therapy strategy: a controlled before-and-after study. Int J Clin Pharm. 2011;33(2):208–214.

41. Grill E, Weber A, Lohmann S, Vetter-Kerkhoff C, Strobl R, Jauch K-W. Effects of pharmaceutical counselling on antimicrobial use in surgical wards: intervention study with historical control group. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2011;20(7):739–746.

42. Hersberger KE, Botomino A, Sarkar R, Tschudi P, Bucher HC, Briel M. Prescribed medications and pharmacy interventions for acute respiratory tract infections in Swiss primary care. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2009;34(4):387–395.

43. Azhar S, Hassali MA, Ibrahim MIM, Ahmad M, Masood I, Shafie AA. The role of pharmacists in developing countries: the current scenario in Pakistan. Hum Resour Health. 2009;7(1):54.

44. Basak SC, Sathyanarayana D. Pharmacy education in India. Am J Pharm Educ. 2010;74(4):68.

45. Fang Y, Yang S, Zhou S, Jiang M, Liu J. Community pharmacy practice in China: past, present and future. Int J Clin Pharm. 2013;35(4):520–528.

46. Parthasarathi G, Ramesh M, Nyfort-Hansen K, Nagavi BG. Clinical pharmacy in a south Indian teaching hospital. Ann Pharmacother. 2002;36(5):927–932.

47. Basak SC, van Mil JWF, Sathyanarayana D. The changing roles of pharmacists in community pharmacies: perception of reality in India. Pharm World Sci. 2009;31(6):612–618.

48. Alanazi A, Alfadl A, Hussain A. Pharmaceutical care in the community pharmacies of Saudi Arabia: present status and possibilities for improvement. Saudi J Med Med Sci. 2016;4(1):9–14.

49. Anderson S. The state of the world's pharmacy: a portrait of the pharmacy profession. J Interprof Care. 2002;16(4):391–404.

50. Tumkur A, Muragundi PM, Shetty R, Naik A. Pharmaceutical care: need of the hour in India. J Young Pharm. 2012;4(4):282–286.

51. Khdour MR, Kidney JC, Smyth BM, McElnay JC. Clinical pharmacy-led disease and medicine management programme for patients with COPD. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2009;68(4):588–598.

52. Schimmelfing JT, Brookhart AL, Fountain KM, Goode JK. Pharmacist intervention in patient selection of nonprescription and self-care products. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) 2017;57(1):86–89.

53. Marra C, Johnston K, Santschi V, Tsuyuki RT. Cost-effectiveness of pharmacist care for managing hypertension in Canada. Can Pharm J (Ott) 2017;150(3):184–197.

54. Krass I, Armour CL, Mitchell B, Brillant M, Dienaar R, Hughes J, Lau P, Peterson G, Stewart K, Taylor S, et al. The pharmacy diabetes care program: assessment of a community pharmacy diabetes service model in Australia. Diabet Med. 2007;24(6):677–683.

55. García-Cárdenas V, Sabater-Hernández D, Kenny P, Martínez-Martínez F, Faus MJ, Benrimoj SI. Effect of a pharmacist intervention on asthma control. A cluster randomised trial. Respir Med. 2013;107(9):1346–1355.

56. Hawksworth C, Wright C. Clinical pharmacy interventions by community pharmacists during the dispensing process. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1999;47(6):695–700.

57. Stewart DW, Brown SD, Clavier CW, Wyatt J. Active-learning processes used in US pharmacy education. Am J Pharm Educ. 2011;75(4):68.

58. Kaboli PJ, Hoth AB, McClimon BJ, Schnipper JL. Clinical pharmacists and inpatient medical care: a systematic review. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166(9):955–964.

59. Cabello-Muriel A, Gascon-Canovas JJ, Urbieta-Sanz E, Iniesta-Navalon C. Effectiveness of pharmacist intervention in patients with chronic kidney disease. Int J Clin Pharm. 2014;36(5):896–903.

60. Tilly-Gratton A, Lamontagne A, Blais L, Bacon SL, Ernst P, Grad R, Lavoie KL, McKinney ML, Desplats E, Ducharme FM. Physician agreement regarding the expansion of pharmacist professional activities in the management of patients with asthma. Int J Pharm Pract. 2017;25(5):335–342.

Downloads

Published

2024-12-31

How to Cite

Fawaz Essa A Altamimi, Bandar Hamdan Ghareeb Alanazi, Fadiyah Salem Sakhani Alruwaili, Alanazi Ahmed Hulayyil M, Fares Farhan Marmer Alanazi, Naif Mohammad Falah Alenezi, … Madloul Arrak Fawaz Alshammari. (2024). Role of Pharmacy Professionals in Reducing Antimicrobial Resistance in Hospital Settings. International Journal of Computational and Experimental Science and Engineering, 10(4). https://doi.org/10.22399/ijcesen.4025

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 4 (2024): IJCESEN

Section

Research Article

License

Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Computational and Experimental Science and Engineering

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.