Original Research
Saturday, October 12, 2024
11:30 AM–01:00 PM
Abstract
Introduction: Ambulatory care pharmacists continue to expand their co-management of various disease states across the United States including conditions such as anxiety and depression. There is minimal literature assessing the clinical impact of these practice advances within primary care.
Research Question or Hypothesis: What impact do ambulatory care pharmacist interventions have on anxiety and depression objective scores?
Study Design: This was a retrospective cohort study of 124 adult patients who had at least one documented visit between February 2020 and August 2023 with an ambulatory care pharmacist to help manage their diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety.
Methods: Primary outcome was the achievement of therapeutic response (a reduction of 50% or greater in GAD-7 and/or PHQ-9 scores). Secondary outcomes included the change in PHQ-9 and/or GAD-7 scores, risk factors for therapeutic response, pharmacist interventions subtypes, and percentage pharmacogenomics used.
Results: Therapeutic response for PHQ-9 was achieved for 48.4% of patients after utilization of an ambulatory care pharmacist embedded in primary care. While two-thirds of patients also had comorbid anxiety, 57.4% of these patients could not be evaluated as they did not have available GAD-7 scores for analysis. PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores were significantly reduced by 35.7% and 34.6% at approximately 6 months after pharmacist intervention (p<0.000 and p<0.023). Patients had a median number 4 (2,5) visits with a pharmacist and median number of 2 (1,3) interventions.
Conclusion: Ambulatory care pharmacists can help patients achieve therapeutic response for depression and anxiety as well as significantly improve PHQ9 and GAD7 scores, but additional education is warranted on the importance of GAD-7 monitoring given the high prevalence of comorbid anxiety and depression.
Presenting Author
Ashlyn Schasel PharmDTrinity Health Grand Rapids
Authors
Jessica Benzer PharmD
Trinity Health Saint Mary's
Mitchell Cavanaugh PharmD
Trinity Health Grand Rapids
Tara McAlpine PharmD
Trinity Health Grand Rapids