Thesis (M.Sc. in Pharm.)--Chulalongkorn University, 2001

Cardiac patients who join the cardiac rehabilitation program are normally given many drugs for secondary prevention and control of their diseases. The program may require a pharmacist to counsel the patients on drug use and drug therapy problems. This study aimed to assess the impact of pharmacist's counseling on the patient's medication knowledge, non-compliance and satisfaction, as well as the therapeutic outcomes and cost of counseling. The study was conducted in cardiac patients who participated in the cardiac rehabilitation program of Phyathai 2 Hospital between February and November 2001. The study instruments were evaluated for their content validity, but not for reliability. The results showed that 32 patients completed the study. Of these, 24 were CAD patients and 8 VHD patients. There were more males than females in the samples (male 53.1% and female 46.9%). The average age was 56.8+-15.2 years. The patients had 1-6 cardiac risk factors. Theaverage drugs they received were 7+-3 items and 8+-5 doses/day. The patient's general medication knowledge and non-compliance before and after the counseling were different (p-value < 0.5). The general medication knowledge, but not non-compliance, could retain over the four week after the counseling. The difference in specific medication knowledge before and after the counseling (p-value < 0.5) was found only in the CAD group. Most patients expressed favorable attitudes toward the pharmacist's counseling and booklet. The majority of patients felt better after operation or on medication, but some experienced cardiac symptoms and adverse drug events. The average time used in the counseling was 24.0+-0.1 minutes and the overall cost of the pharmacist's counseling ranged from 50.18-82.00 baht/patient. The pharmacist's counseling in this study might had a positive impact on the patient's outcomes, but further studies are required to confirm the effects of pharmacist's counseling