Bell Madison, Ramsey Tasha, Trenaman Shanna, Hatchette Todd, Campbell Samuel, Bishop Andrea, MacInnis Melanie, Hurley Katrina, Black Emily
College of Pharmacy, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS.
Nova Scotia Health, Halifax, NS.
Can Pharm J (Ott). 2024 Nov 15;158(1):47-54. doi: 10.1177/17151635241290519. eCollection 2025 Jan-Feb.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted to humans through bites from infected species of ticks. Prophylaxis with a single dose of oral doxycycline following a bite from an infected tick reduces the risk of developing Lyme disease. Pharmacists in Nova Scotia (NS) were among the first in Canada to prescribe for this indication. The primary objective of this study is to describe experiences with pharmacist prescribing of prophylaxis after tick bites in NS.
A retrospective cohort study was performed using health administrative data 16 months before and after pharmacists were authorized to prescribe Lyme disease chemoprophylaxis (August 1, 2021). All dispensations of a single dose of oral doxycycline from a community pharmacy in NS were included. Data collected included prescriber type, date, and county of dispensation. Comparisons of dispensations were completed before and after pharmacists gained prescriptive authority and relative to other prescribers. Dispensations were described descriptively.
Over the study period, 12,549 single-dose doxycycline prescriptions were dispensed in NS: 3900 prescriptions were dispensed before pharmacist prescribing authorization for this indication occurred and 8649 were dispensed after. Pharmacists prescribed 61.3% of all single-dose doxycycline prescriptions following implementation of prescribing authority.
An increase in single-dose doxycycline prescriptions was observed in NS. Pharmacists have become the primary prescribers for Lyme disease chemoprophylaxis in the province.
Patients were willing to be assessed for chemoprophylaxis after tick exposure by pharmacists, and pharmacist prescribing for this indication suggests increased access to post-tick exposure care.
莱姆病是一种通过被感染的蜱虫叮咬传播给人类的细菌感染。被感染的蜱虫叮咬后单次口服多西环素进行预防可降低患莱姆病的风险。新斯科舍省（NS）的药剂师是加拿大最早针对该适应症开处方的人员之一。本研究的主要目的是描述新斯科舍省药剂师在蜱虫叮咬后开预防处方的经验。
采用回顾性队列研究，使用药剂师被授权开莱姆病化学预防药（2021年8月1日）前后16个月的卫生行政数据。纳入新斯科舍省社区药房所有单次口服多西环素的配药记录。收集的数据包括开处方者类型、日期和配药县。在药剂师获得处方权之前和之后以及相对于其他开处方者完成配药比较。对配药情况进行描述性说明。
在研究期间，新斯科舍省共发放了12,549张单次剂量多西环素处方：在药剂师获得该适应症处方授权之前发放了3900张，之后发放了8649张。在获得处方权后，药剂师开出了所有单次剂量多西环素处方的61.3%。
新斯科舍省观察到单次剂量多西环素处方增加。药剂师已成为该省莱姆病化学预防的主要开处方者。
患者愿意接受药剂师对蜱虫暴露后化学预防的评估，药剂师针对该适应症开处方表明蜱虫暴露后护理的可及性有所提高。
