Patients with hemophilia or LQTS: strong improvement needed for both accurate registration of contraindications and in patient understanding of the risks of over-the-counter drugs

Purpose Certain medications are contraindicated in patients with hemophilia or Long QT Syndrome (LQTS). Accurate registration of contraindications in electronic health record (EHR) systems is essential to minimize the risks when prescribing medication by healthcare professionals. Also, the use of certain over-the-counter (OTC) medications is contraindicated in these patients. Hence, patients must be cognizant of the potential risks associated when using these medications. We aimed to quantify the accurate registration of hemophilia and LQTS within primary and secondary care and to assess the degree to which patients take into account their medical condition when visiting healthcare professionals and using over-the-counter medication. Methods Patients with hemophilia or LQTS being under treatment in Isala Hospital were included. Community pharmacists and General Practitioners (GPs) were surveyed regarding the accurate documentation of these conditions. An analysis was conducted on the prescribed medications for these patients over the past year, to determine if any were contraindicated. Additionally, patients were surveyed to assess their awareness of the medication safety risks of their medical condition. Results Of the included 32 patients with hemophilia and 21 patients with LQTS the contraindications were accurately registered by pharmacists, GPs and hospital in 86.4, 70.8 and 0% (hemophilia), and 80.0, 82.4 and 28.6% (LQTS), respectively. The majority of patients reported their disease when visiting healthcare professionals. However, of the patients with hemophilia and LQTS 20% and 40%, respectively, were unaware of the potential risks associated with OTC medication. Conclusion This study indicates that strong improvement can be achieved in accurate registration of the contraindications LQTS and hemophilia in both primary and secondary care. Enhanced registration will improve medication safety in patients when prescribed by healthcare professionals. Additionally, there is a need for increased patient education concerning medication usage, as they tend to underestimate the risks associated with (OTC) medications.