Implementing lifestyle medicine guidelines into pharmacy practice

Abstract

The adoption of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines has been challenging for the medical community. The adoption of lifestyle medicine-related guidelines may be even more challenging due to enhanced social barriers with behaviors such as exercise and nutrition. Pharmacists are well placed within the community to offer lifestyle medicine care to their patients. The practice of this is reported to be low possibly due to a lack of education in both pharmacy school as well as continuing education for practicing pharmacists. Additionally, examples of best practices for implementing lifestyle medicine guidelines in pharmacy practice are lacking. This article discusses these topics and suggests that national pharmacy organizations become more actively involved in implementing and educating pharmacists in lifestyle medicine. © 2012 SAGE Publications.