Considering the Possible Role of Pharmacists According to the Presence or Absence of Lifestyle-Related Diseases at the Time of Coronary CT Examination and Trends of Medication Use for These Diseases by Medical Doctors

• Main Authors: Erika Miura-Takahashi (Author), Kohei Tashiro (Author), Yuhei Shiga (Author), Yuto Kawahira (Author), Sara Higashi (Author), Yuki Otsu (Author), Hidetoshi Kamimura (Author), Shin-ichiro Miura (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: MDPI AG, 2024-06-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 10.3390/pharmacy12040099; 2226-4787
• Keywords: coronary artery computed tomography angiography; lifestyle-related disease; coronary artery disease; pharmacists; Pharmacy and materia medica; RS1-441
• Source: Pharmacy, Vol 12, Iss 4, p 99 (2024)

Background: Because patients often already have coronary artery disease (CAD) at the time of a coronary artery computed tomography angiography (CCTA) examination, we examined the medications prescribed by medical doctors for lifestyle-related diseases and investigated what possible role pharmacists can play in prescribing. Methods: Patients (n = 1357) who underwent CCTA examination were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of lifestyle-related diseases [hypertension (HTN), dyslipidemia (DL) and diabetes mellitus (DM)], and the relationship between the presence or absence of CAD was examined. Results: The rate of CAD was significantly higher in patients with HTN, DL or DM than in patients without these diseases. The blood pressure in the HTN group was 140 ± 20/79 ± 13 mmHg, the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol value in the DL group was 119 ± 35 mg/dL, and the hemoglobin A1c value in the DM group was 7.0 ± 1.1%, all of which were poorly controlled. Anti-hypertensive drugs were used at low rates in the HTN group, statins were used in 47% and ezetimibe was used in 4% of the DL group, and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors were used in 41% of the DM group. Conclusions: Since the rate of CAD (+) was high and control of the three major lifestyle-related diseases was poor, pharmacists should advise medical doctors to use combinations of drugs.