As per a study article posted online on Nov. 3 in JAMA Network Open, the median frequency of weekly diabetes prescription takes had decreased significantly throughout the COVID-19 epidemic.
Ismaeel Yunusa, Pharm.D., Ph.D., and coworkers examined if increases in insulin prescriptions requests happened throughout the COVID-19 epidemic utilizing information from the US IQVIA Longitudinal Prescription Claims (285,343 persons).
Fewer Insulin Prescriptions During The Pandemic
Pandemic has shown some better effects on the society also while it has created more troubles for many. In the case of people who suffer from high blood sugar and have to rely on insulin, it is necessary to go for an insulin dose regularly, but this trend was changed massively during a pandemic.
However, this change was seen primarily among grownups, and pediatric insulin prescription was not affected in any way. It may indicate that people did not pay much attention to their well-being on this front during a pandemic.
The investigators discovered that the approximate percentage of insulin prescribing rose by 11.0 every week before the flu epidemic, but that means the number of prescribing lowered by 395.6 per week in the 1st week of the flu epidemic, accompanied by a substantial reduction of 55.3 prescribing per week throughout the flu epidemic compared to before the flu epidemic.
The epidemic is linked to a considerable reduction in the projected average amount of week diabetes doses in grownups (54.2), but not in children or fresh prescriptions.
“Future studies should examine whether the pandemic was associated with adverse health outcomes associated with suboptimal insulin treatment,” the authors write.
Even as the epidemic spreads, the increased pressure on doctors has caused normal patient checkups and inpatient trips for individuals having persistent illnesses to be postponed. Individuals who needed drug modifications were left having old scripts to complete, and individuals who needed minor operations may need drugs to maintain their health till the treatment could be performed.
Numerous healthcare experts have been saddled with this responsibility, and welfare systems were tested as the globe focuses on controlling and postponing the spreading of COVID-19. During this attention, medical systems can overlook individuals having chronic conditions, whose treatment could deteriorate as the epidemic progresses.
Pharmacists’ role in treating chronic diseases and fostering drug compliance, whereas other healthcare professionals fight the COVID-19 epidemic on the front lines, is critical to reducing the illness load on healthcare institutions.
This would offer credence to the WHO’s appeal for critical treatments to be maintained to reduce the impact of non-COVID illness on existing overburdened healthcare systems, particularly in LMICs.
Local pharmacies have stressed the importance of people having chronic diseases adhering to their drug regimen, citing proof of better results through their efforts. Pharmacists could use tech to inform clients of their drugs and lifestyles regimens to improve compliance in this age of shutdowns with limited mobility.
Pharmacists could continuously communicate with their consumers by using phone conversations, SMS text messages, and certain online networking sites to underline the importance of compliance to their prescriptions and lifestyles practices, particularly during this epidemic.
In rare cases, messenger companies can be utilized to carry necessary medications and prescriptions renewals to customers’ doorsteps, but all anti-COVID security standards must be strictly followed.
Individuals impacted would require a continual flow of prescribed drugs, and local pharmacists could be tasked with the job of reviewing these scripts and providing proper drug maintenance monitoring, based on their opinion. Individuals taking opioid painkillers, for example, can get their prescriptions evaluated by a general practitioner to avoid resistance and dependence.
Following the COVID-19 epidemic, pharmacists’ responsibilities & practices could change to include increasingly significant components of pharmacological treatment and medication control.
