Telepharmacy for the management of cardiovascular patients in the community

Abstract

Telepharmacy is devised to provide pharmacy operations and patient care at a distance and to expand access to healthcare, enhance patients' safety and improve patient outcomes. A variety of technologies, models of care and interventions are used to develop and provide telepharmacy services, serving diversified populations with different pathological conditions, including cardiovascular diseases. Unfortunately, very few randomized controlled studies have evaluated the clinical efficacy of the implementation of telepharmacy services in the management of various cardiovascular conditions, with the strongest evidence being limited to telemonitoring studies in the areas of hypertension and diabetes. Although the clinical efficacy of telepharmacy, and its cost effectiveness, are far from being fully proved, the inclusion of telepharmacy services in healthcare models may offer the unique opportunity to increase access to screening and improve care of cardiovascular conditions.

Keywords: Diabetes; Heart failure; Hypertension; Ischemic heart disease; Pharmacy; Telemedicine; Telepharmacy.