0403 - Drug Choice and Prescribings - EG

Question 1

List the four stages of prescribing.

Answer 1

1. Information gathering
2. Clinical decision making
3. Communicate decision
4. Monitor and review

Question 2

What sort of information is essential for prescribing?

Answer 2

Personal info - age, sex
Medical history (current complaint, symptoms, past medical history)
Medication history - current, past, allergies, drug reactions, CAM
Physical examination

Question 3

What is involved in clinical decision making?

Answer 3

Make and review diagnosis.
Available drug therapies - suitability for patient? Non-drug therapies more appropriate?
Patients expectations?

Question 4

Who are decisions communicated to?

Answer 4

colleagues - write legible, clear, unambiguous decisions, referral letters, and replies.
Patient and family - give clear, unambiguous information which is understood, discussing what, when, how long.

Question 5

What should be considered when monitoring and reviewing prescriptions?

Answer 5

is the treatment working?
is the patient taking it?
are there side effects and if so if these are tolerable or worse than disease/symptoms being treated?
does the dose need adjusting?