Dr. Maseabata Ramathebane is a pharmacist and a senior lecturer at the National University of Lesotho. She has vast experience in working in primary healthcare and her research is based on the pharmacy practice covering aspects of primary health care. She has participated in the pharmaceutical society of Lesotho (PSL) and Lesotho Medical, dental and pharmacy council (LMDPC) as vice president.
This topic explores current treatments of cardiovascular diseases; what treatment outcomes emanate from current drug treatment. It also covers the reasons why many studies show poor treatment outcomes. It deals with adverse drug reaction and their drug management where necessary. Current cost effective interventions including prevention strategies including drug treatments are discussed. Issues relating to patients’ knowledge about medication and benefits of adhering to treatment, method of delivery of patient information, are dealt with in detail. It highlights the issues of barriers to adherence to drug treatment and non-drug life style modifications. It also deals with dispensing models that encourage adherence to medication. It explores reasons for late diagnosis and treatment. This chapter will be informed by current studies published in Africa and elsewhere.
Part of the book: Lifestyle and Epidemiology
Hospitalisation of chronic diseases can be costly and time-consuming to patients with chronic diseases, and success of management of chronic diseases is in the primary care. This chapter gives a detailed description of primary health and its role in the management of chronic diseases. Hypertension as a chronic disease of interest and its management in the primary healthcare (PHC) context are also to be discussed in detail. However, to give this chapter clarity, a brief description of the country Lesotho will be given. The summary of the country will highlight major barriers to health care which mainly include poverty, difficult topography with no or poor infrastructure which hinder access to primary health care. Situational analysis is made with regard to current practice. The potential role of a pharmacist in the care and treatment of hypertension is explored. Best practices, need for policy change, guidelines and implementation plans will be highlighted. The aim of the chapter is to evaluate how chronic diseases are managed at the primary health care. The objectives include: a) to explore primary health care concept, b) to critically evaluate PHC concept in an African country and c) to describe human resource needs to meet the demands of PHC chronic diseases management.
Part of the book: Primary Health Care