Implementing pharmacy practice research programs for the management of heart failure

Abstract

It stands to reason that pharmacists would have a beneficial role in the treatment of patients with chronic illnesses wherein complicated pharmacotherapies are required to reduce the risk of acute exacerbation. For chronic heart failure, recent evidence bears this out. When pharmacists take time to provide self-care instructions for patients with heart failure or take part in collaborative healthcare teams, the need for costly urgent healthcare decreases with corresponding decreases in healthcare costs. Further research is needed to address the key supportive roles of pharmacists in the treatment of patients with heart failure.