School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Schoolhill, Aberdeen AB10 1FR, UK.
Int J Clin Pharm. 2012 Oct;34(5):733-8. doi: 10.1007/s11096-012-9668-5. Epub 2012 Jun 28.
Simvastatin 10 mg was reclassified in 2004 to over-the-counter (OTC) status in the UK, indicated for the prevention of a first major coronary event in individuals at moderate risk of the event. The primary reason behind the reclassification was to reduce the burden of disease management in general practice. Community pharmacists' adoption of OTC simvastatin into practice immediately post reclassification was reported to below but there has been no systematic update on current practice.
The aim was to investigate pharmacists' adoption into practice, and attitudes to, OTC simvastatin 5 years post reclassification in the UK.
Community pharmacists at all community pharmacies in Scotland.
A pre-piloted postal questionnaire was distributed to all community pharmacies in Scotland (N = 1138). Self rated adoption was measured on a five point scale. Factors associated with decision making were investigated using a 24-item Likert-type agreement scale.
Pharmacists' perceived integration of reclassified simvastatin; factors associated with decision making.
Response rate was 49.5 % (n = 563). A high majority reported not supplying the reclassified medicine mainly owing to a perceived lack of evidence, low patient demand, customer complaints about the retail price and lack of access to patient medical records. A minority agreed to reclassification being an opportunity for their role development.
Community Pharmacists' views of reclassified simvastatin supply 5 years post reclassification, as compared to the time it was newly reclassified, suggest low uptake. This lack of progress over time suggests that, against policy initiatives, OTC availability is unlikely to have impacted on the level of general practice led management of patients at risk of coronary events.
2004 年，辛伐他汀 10 毫克在英国被重新分类为非处方药（OTC），用于预防中等风险人群首次发生主要冠心病事件。重新分类的主要原因是减轻普通诊所的疾病管理负担。据报道，社区药剂师在重新分类后立即将 OTC 辛伐他汀纳入实践的采用率较低，但目前还没有关于当前实践的系统更新。
调查英国重新分类后 5 年，药剂师对 OTC 辛伐他汀的采用情况及其态度。
苏格兰所有社区药房的社区药剂师。
向苏格兰所有社区药房（N=1138）预先印制的邮寄问卷。自我评估采用五分制。使用 24 项李克特式同意量表调查与决策相关的因素。
药剂师对重新分类的辛伐他汀的感知整合；与决策相关的因素。
回复率为 49.5%（n=563）。绝大多数报告不提供重新分类的药物，主要是因为缺乏证据、低患者需求、客户对零售价格的投诉以及无法获取患者病历。少数人同意重新分类是他们角色发展的机会。
与重新分类时相比，社区药剂师对重新分类的辛伐他汀供应的看法在重新分类 5 年后，表明采用率较低。随着时间的推移，这种缺乏进展表明，尽管有政策举措，但 OTC 的可获得性不太可能影响冠心病风险患者的普通诊所主导管理水平。
