Pharmaceutical care for patients with headaches: pharmacists' statements and pharmacy practice

Relevance. According to the World Health Organization, headaches are one of the most common symptoms of nervous system diseases. Pharmacists play an important role in communicating with headache patients, as well as in rationally directing self-treatment.Aim. Using the questionnaire and patient’s simulation method, comparing the results of these studies, to evaluate the quality of pharmaceutical care for patients with headaches.Material and methods. An anonymous survey was conducted among 153 pharmacists. Three different trained simulated patients (SP) allegedly suffering from headaches visited 101 pharmacies. The results were recorded visually and on a voice recorder. The commercial segment of the Russian pharmaceutical market for analgesics was analyzed.Results. The leaders in sales in ATC-subgroups were the following INN: Ibuprofen, Paracetamol+Naproxen+Caffeine+Drotaverine+ Pheniramine. Corresponding trade names are most often recommended based on the results of questionnaires and simulated patient methodology (SPM). Prescription drugs (13.1 %/14.9 % in SPM) that shouldn’t be recommended in the pharmacy and combination drugs (87.6 %/91.1 % in SPM) were frequently mentioned. A similar number of INN (20/23) and trade names (52/53) were named. The average number of trade names recommended by one pharmacist was higher in the SPM. In SPM the patient was asked very few questions and almost no information about the drug was specified.Conclusion. The real involvement of pharmacists in the provision of pharmaceutical care to patients with cephalgia appears to be much lower, in contrast to the stated results of the questionnaire. In real pharmacy practice, the approach to interaction with a patient with headache and counselling is formal and requires standardization: the development of protocols, standards and algorithms for interaction with patients with headache based on clinical guidelines.