The Main Points of a Questionnaire on the Awareness of Hospital Pharmacists Regarding Hypoglycemia from Pharmacological Therapies of Diabetes.

A questionnaire of hospital pharmacists was conducted in order to examine their understanding of the clinical pharmacists of “hypoglycemia” resulting from pharmacological therapies of diabetes and how this understanding should be reflected in the explanations given to patients. The questionnaire was sent to hospital pharmacists throughout the entire country (covering 300 hospitals) and the reply ratio was 74.3% (223 hospitals). While physicians, pharmacists, and nurses explained about hypoglycemia, discussions between the three different groups were not carried out in 39.7% of the hospitals. Regarding the explanations in terms of the pharmacological therapies of diabetes, 80% or more of the institutions gave explanations about sulfonylurea, nateglinide which promote insulin secretion, and medicines made of insulin. When asked whether they felt hypoglycemia was a side effect, 50.9% replied that they “think that it is a side effect.” 14.0% responded that candy balls were a suitable treatment for hypoglycemia, and while as a general rule glucose is used as a treatment of hypoglycemia when talking a-glucosidase inhibitor, 59.7% expressed the opinion of approval of the use of sucrose on the condition that it is used only in cases when glucose was not available. The results show that treatment of hypoglycemia was carried out when the patient's blood sugar level fell below 62.9±10.8mg/dL (Mean ± SD). In the future, there is a need to decide on the guidance given regarding the medical treatment for diabetes based upon discussions between physicians, pharmacists, and nurses. In addition, pharmacists must stand in the forefront of the “co-medical” field and exhibit more leadership regarding medicinal treatment.