Original Article

The impact of lesion location on medication self-management ability in patients with cerebrovascular disease

Hisato Fujihara, Ph, PhD, Keiya Goto, Ph, Mayumi Higashino, Ph, Shoko Nakamura, Ph, Eriko Tanaka, Ph, Tomiko Sunaga, Ph, PhD, Nobuyuki Kawate, MD, PhD, Kazuyoshi Kawazoe, Ph, PhD, Toru Watanabe, Ph, PhD, Tadanori Sasaki, Ph, PhD
Jpn J Compr Rehabil Sci 11: 21-27, 2020

Objective: To elucidate the impact of cerebrovascular lesion location on patientsf ability to manage their own medications, we retrospectively investigated the differences in ability between the left hemisphere damage group (Group L) and the right hemisphere damage group (Group R).
Methods: In patients with cerebrovascular disease who were discharged from the Kaifukuki rehabilitation ward of our hospital between October 2011 and March 2013 and between January 2016 and December 2017, Group L and Group R were compared.
Results: The study subjects were 282 patients, and both Group L and Group R had 141 patients each. The length of time required for achieving medication selfmanagement was longer in Group L than in Group R (p=0.02), showing a significant difference.
Conclusion: The delay in achieving medication selfmanagement in Group L was considered due to impairment of the dominant arm by right hemiplegia, which, unlike in Group R, hindered the dexterity required for taking medications. In order for patients with cerebrovascular disease to become capable of managing their own medications, it is considered essential to assist in developing medication support plans according to lesion location.

Key words: medication self-management, cerebrovascular disease, cerebrovascular lesion location, Kaifukuki rehabilitation ward

Contents (volume 11)