Health Screening Of Chronic Medical Conditions In Community Pharmacies Of Mysuru City

Abstract

Introduction: Hypertension is chronic cardiovascular incurable disorder where it may not precipitate the symptoms in each and every individual. In other words hypertension is also called silent killer, where it can damage heart, kidney, eye and brain if left untreated. People in the advanced age as well as people with risk factors such as smoking, obesity, sedentary life style habits, consuming more salt and fat in the food diet etc should always be screened for blood pressure. Health screening services are those health care services provided to Study Subjects and general public by health care professionals such as measurement of capillary blood glucose by glucometer, measurement of peak expiratory flow rate by using spirometry, measurement of blood pressure by sphygmomanometer etcOur practising community pharmacists work only in the interest of business welfare rather than public health welfare. Therefore research investigators thought that introduction of health screening service of blood pressure in community pharmacy can create awareness to general public and this type of health care service rendered in one community pharmacy can spread to another community pharmacy, so that role of community pharmacist can be recognised in terms of professionally rather than meagrely businessmen by general public.

Objective of the Study: To screen the public visiting and to implement and evaluate health screening and monitoring services for hypertension, in professional community pharmacy, Mysore.

Methodology: This was prospective observational study carried out in professional community pharmacy over a period of one year. Subjects who met study criteria were enrolled in this research study by giving consent form. Demographic details such as age, gender, qualification status, marital status, social history was documented in suitably designed data collection form. Ausculatory method was applied to find out blood pressure of study subjects.

Results and Discussion: Mean change of systolic blood pressure observed among screened Study Subjects were 11 plus or minus 3.68 and mean change of diastolic blood pressure observed among screened study subjects were 04.52 plus or minus 1.04. Mean change of systolic blood pressure observed among monitored study subjects were 7.32 plus or minus 0.75 and mean change of diastolic blood pressure observed among monitored Study Subjects were 04.41 plus or minus 0.83.

Conclusion: The mean change of of systolic and diastolic blood pressure observed among screened and monitored Study Subjects were found to be statistically significant of P Value <0.05.