Objectives: To optimize the treatment of patients on tube feeding, it is important to ascertain whether medicines are appropriate for administration by gastrostomy and nasogastric tubes.  In this study, we evaluated the drug information services provided to medical staff by clinical pharmacists related to 109 patients administered medication via a feeding tube in a neurological ward.
Design and Methods: We analyzed the records of drug information services provided to medical staff from January 2006 to December 2007 at the Higashi Nagoya Hospital.  We classified drug information services for avoiding obstruction of the feeding tube and chemical changes into four categories: ‘formulation changes’, ‘medication changes’, ‘incompatibilities’ and ‘administration method’, and evaluated the acceptance rate of the pharmacists’ recommendations for drug therapy via feeding tube.
Results: Drug information related to formulation and medication changes accounted for 130 and 88 cases, respectively.  Information related to incompatibilities accounted for 19 cases, involving anticipated chemical changes related to concurrent administration of drugs.  Information related to administration methods accounted for 24 cases.  The acceptance rate for information by medical staff was 92.0%.
Conclusions: Drug information to medical staff by pharmacists contributes to improved safety for patients administered medication via feeding tubes.  The acceptance rate for drug information was high, and the provision of drug information by pharmacists in the neurological ward was considered useful.