ADHERENCE AND PHARMACOCARE INTERVENTIONS AMIDST HIV PATIENTS ON COMBINED ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY IN NIGERIA
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Date
2017
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Publisher
Association of Pharmacy Professionals, India
Abstract
Present study examines the level of adherence and pharmaceutical care interventions among HIV
patients on combined antiretroviral therapy in Nigeria. Adherence to cART among 297 patients was
determined using pill counting method. The levels of patient adherence were evaluated at baseline
and then re-evaluated at three, six, and nine months. The subjects were also followed up with drug
counseling at 3 months interval of the hospital visit for prescription refills. More than one-half of
them were on cART between 2 and 3 years. At baseline, the adherence level obtained from pill
counting was 85.9%. Following the patient-focused interventions, the adherence level steadily
increased to 97%. Before the intervention, patients most adhered to Tenofovir + Emtricitabine +
Efavirenz followed by Zidovudine + Lamivudine + Efavirenz. After the intervention, there was an
improvement in adherence level to all the regimens of drugs used for the patients. In treating HIVinfected
subjects on combined antiretroviral therapy, application of pharmaceutical interventions
and continual monitoring are essential to heighten adherence and promote survival.
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Keywords
Pharmaceutical care, Pill counting, Line regimen, Adherence, Antiretroviral therapy