Heart failure is a complex clinical syndrome characterized by structural and/or functional abnormalities of the heart that lead to impaired ventricular filling or ejection of blood. This condition represents one of the major global health problems due to its significant contribution to increased morbidity, mortality, and decreased quality of life among patients. The management of heart failure is complex, as it often requires a combination of several drug classes, including ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, diuretics, and digoxin. The presence of comorbidities further complicates the treatment process and increases the risk of Drug Related Problems (DRPs), which may affect both therapeutic effectiveness and patient safety if not properly identified and managed.
This study aimed to evaluate DRPs among heart failure patients hospitalized at the Inpatient Unit of RSK Ngesti Waluyo. A quantitative descriptive study design was employed, with consecutive sampling as the sampling technique. The analyzed data consisted of secondary data obtained from patients’ medical records from October 2024 to October 2025 that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study.
The results of the study showed that 9 patients (20%) experienced DRPs, with a total of 12 cases among 45 heart failure patients hospitalized in the inpatient ward of RSK Ngesti Waluyo. The identified DRP problems included 10 cases of possible adverse drug events, 1 case of suboptimal drug therapy, and 1 case of unnecessary drug therapy. The identified causes of DRPs included 8 cases of drug–drug interactions, 2 cases of drug use without indication, 1 case of drug use not in accordance with guidelines or the formulary, and 1 case of drug use in accordance with guidelines but with contraindications.