Dose adjustment of antidiabetic medications in chronic kidney disease

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to identify whether Internal Medicine house-staff (IMHS) have awareness and knowledge about the correct dosage of antidiabetic medications for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), as dosing errors result in adverse patient outcomes for those with diabetes mellitus (DM) and CKD. METHODS: There were 353 IMHS surveyed to evaluate incorrect level of awareness of medication dose adjustment in patients with CKD (ILA) and incorrect level of knowledge of glomerular filtration rate level for medication adjustment (ILK-GFR) for Glipizide, Pioglitazone, and Sitagliptin. RESULTS: Lack of awareness and knowledge was high, with the highest for Pioglitazone at 72.8%. For ILA, the percentages were: Pioglitazone: 72.8%, Glipizide: 43.9%, and Sitagliptin: 42.8%. For ILK-GFR, the percentages were: Pioglitazone: 72.8%, Glipizide: 68.3%, and Sitagliptin: 65.4%. CONCLUSIONS: IMHS have poor awareness and knowledge for antidiabetic medication dose adjustment in patients with DM and CKD. Both Electronic Medical Rerecord best practice advisory and physician–pharmacist collaborative drug therapy management can enhance safe drug prescribing in patients with CKD. In addition, IMHS’s practice for antidiabetic medication dose adjustment was better with Nephrology exposure. A formal didactic educational training during medical school and residency for antidiabetic medication dose adjustment in patients with DM and CKD is highly encouraged to prevent medication dosing errors and to more effectively and safely allow IMHS to manage complex treatment regimens.