Protocols for the Treatment of Essential Hypertension and Type II Diabetes Mellitus by Pharmacists in Ambulatory Care Clinics

Abstract

During the last several years, the pharmacist has acted as a primary-care provider for patients with selected chronic illnesses at an urban county health department. The pharmacist's responsibilities include examining patients, ordering laboratory tests and X-rays, and adjusting or prescribing medication. In order to comply with health department regulations requiring the use of protocols by non-physician practitioners, and to better define the pharmacist's role, pharmacy protocols for the treatment of essential hypertension and type II diabetes mellitus have been developed. The protocols provide specific guidelines for the pharmacist involved in primary patient care. In addition, they describe a procedure for the selection and referral of patients. These protocols can serve as a sound foundation by which other pharmacists involved with primary patient care treat essential hypertension and type II diabetes mellitus. They can easily be modified to suit a pharmacist's particular needs and situation.