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Pharmac-sponsored educator He Ako Hiringa is contacting general practices, advising them to prioritise moving patients off cilazapril to avoid having to manage a significant number of transitions in December when the medicine is delisted. Cilazapril is commonly used to treat hypertension and heart failure.
Data reviewed by He Ako Hiringa suggest that 70,000 patients were still being dispensed cilazapril as at the end of May 2023. To manage a smooth pre-Christmas transition, more than 2500 patients will need to be moved to new medicines every week between now and the beginning of December.
He Ako Hiringa programme manager Anna Mickell is concerned that the impact of late transition will fall disproportionately on some practices and pharmacy staff, and on some working patients, for whom Christmas may already be a time of financial and time pressures.
“Our EPiC dashboard shows that nationally, the patients still to be moved off cilazapril are more likely to be living in areas of higher deprivation, aged 45 to 64 years, and men.”
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Given the significance of this change, Ms Mickell recommends practices seek support and consider reviewing their repeat workflow.
“Many practices have access to PHO data and clinical pharmacists that may assist them plan their transition, or they could seek support from their local community pharmacies. Reviewing the repeat workflow process within the practice with respect to this medicine should also be considered, as well as briefing locums.”
Practices and practitioners are able to view the number of patients they still have on cilazapril, by logging into their He Ako Hiringa EPiC dashboard and choosing the cilazapril theme. The data are updated monthly, with numbers to the end of March showing currently. Education to assist clinicians to move patients off cilazapril is available on www.akohiringa.co.nz.
Declaration of interest: The Health Media, publishers of New Zealand Doctor, is a 50 per cent shareholder in Matui Ltd, publishers of He Ako Hiringa.
Pharmacist prescribers Linda Bryant and Leanne Te Karu discuss positive polypharmacy for heart failure. Current evidence shows the intensive implementation of four medications offers the greatest benefit to most patients with heart failure, with significant reductions in cardiovascular mortality, heart failure hospitalisations and all-cause mortality
