Therapeutic Research

Abstract

Objective：We surveyed the attitudes of physicians, pharmacists, patients, and careworkers toward treatment for lifestyle－related diseases and combination products as a therapeuticmeasure.Method：A web questionnaire survey using the Internet was conducted involving physicians,pharmacists, patients, and care workers（n＝300 for each）.Results：Patients knew their laboratory values（99.0％［concerning systolic pressurevalue］and 79.0％［concerning LDL cholesterol value］）, but they did not favorably controlthem. Forty－two point seven percent of them took four tablets or more, and 56.3％ tookdrugs two times or more per day. Regarding the therapeutic situation of elderly people（attended people）based on care workers, 72.9％ of them took four tablets or more, and92.9％ took drugs two times or more. Many patients and care workers acknowledged thebenefit of combination products（75.6％ of patients and 85.7％ of care workers）；57.0％ ofpatients replied that taking combination products increases their motivation for treatment.Although 66.3％ of physicians acknowledged the benefit of combination products, only 30％of pharmacists did. The reasons included the difficulty in remembering the name and variationowing to their increase（84.6％）, and complexity of stock control（71.4％）. The resultsrevealed that pharmacists felt disadvantages from the perspective of practical matters, suchas dispensing and drugstore management, making combination products less attractive forthem.Discussion：The difference in attitude toward treatment for lifestyle－related diseasesand combination products among physicians, pharmacists, patients, and care workers wasapparent. It is necessary for patients and health－care providers to overcome the difference inattitude among each and cooperate hand in hand in order to realize appropriate treatment.