
Overview
Background
Dr Shakti Shrestha is a Research Fellow/Senior Research Officer with an academic role at the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Queensland (UQ). His research role mainly involves conducting and supporting an Australian Government funded (Dementia Ageing and Aged Care Mission Medical Research Future Fund) research on improving the Quality Use of Medicine in Australian Residential Aged Care via the role of knowledge broker pharmacist (the EMBRACE project). His academic role involves course coordination and teaching UQ's Quality Use of Medicines courses for Bachelor of Pharmacy degree.
Shakti obtained his PhD at UQ School of Pharmacy, which focused on optimising medication use in older adults with limited life expectancy, drawing his extensive experience working and researching in a clinical medicine and aged care environment. He was a recipient of the 2018 Australian Research Training Scholarship at UQ for his doctoral degree. He also received the 2022 Career Development Scholarship from UQ that allowed him to develop clinical trial skills at Queensland Health, Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Townsville University Hospital and Gold Coast Private Hospital.
Shakti received his Master's degree in Clinical Pharmacology from the University of Aberdeen (UK) in 2010 and had an opportunity to work with the International Stroke Registry data called SITS-ISTR (Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis in Stroke-International Stroke Thrombolysis Registry) in the National Health Service (NHS) Grampian Hospital, UK. He received his undergraduate Pharmacy degree from Pokhara University (Nepal) in 2007 and is registered as a Pharmacist both in Nepal and Australia.
Shakti has supervised nine pharmacy undergraduate thesis (4-years BPharm program) to completion in Nepal, and supervised several undergraduate and masters research project students. He continues to supervise a number of independent research projects mainly with the intention to support the capacity building of health professionals in research; these research often make into publications.
Shakti has research expertise in the field of geriatric and palliative medication use and safety, quality use of medicine, pharmacy practice and health services. He has research methodology expertise on systematic review, clinical research design, predictive model development, meta-analysis, medical statistics and qualitative research. He has more than 10 years of experience working in research, academic and clinical roles nationally and internationally.
Availability
- Dr Shakti Shrestha is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pokhara University
- Masters (Coursework) of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Aberdeen
- Doctor of Philosophy of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Quality Use of Medicines
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Medication optimisation / Deprescribing
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Older adults
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Palliative care
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Dementia
Research impacts
One of Shakti's works on a conceptual model for deprescribing decision aid tool for use in older adults with limited life expectancy published in BMJ Open (doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043766) has been utilised by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia in its Essential Continuing Pharmacy Education program module on deprescribing. Shakti also developed and validated a tool to assess the attitude of health care professional towards deprescribing in older adults with limited life expectancy called the HATD (Health care professionals' Attitudes Towards Deprescribing) tool (doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2022.03.002); researchers from several countries have been given permission upon request to translate and utilise the HATD tool. His work on evidence synthesis on outcomes/impact of deprescribing in older adults with limited life expectancy (doi: 10.1111/bcp.14113; doi: 10.1177/20420986211052343) were selected by the Drug and Therapeutic Bulletin (DTB) of British Medical Journals (doi: 10.1136/dtb.2020.000041) to consolidate the findings to inform health professionals on quality use of medicines (doi: 10.1136/dtb.2020.000041 and doi: 10.1136/dtb.2023.000012). DTB independently summarises the best evidence to enable doctors, pharmacists and other health care professionals to make informed and unbiased choices to help patients get the best care and has been providing healthcare professionals with practical and impartial advice on treatment for the last 60 years.
Works
Search Professor Shakti Shrestha’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Journal Article
Opioid accessibility for palliative care in Nepal: a review of achievement and remaining challenges
Shrestha, Rajeev, Shrestha, Sunil, Shrestha, Shakti, Shrestha, Amrita, Paudel, Bishnu Dutta and Munday, Daniel (2025). Opioid accessibility for palliative care in Nepal: a review of achievement and remaining challenges. Indian Journal of Palliative Care, 31 (1) 74, 74-78. doi: 10.25259/ijpc_118_2024
2024
Journal Article
Combatting opioid misuse, overuse and abuse: a systematic review of pharmacists' services and outcomes
KC, Bhuvan, Alrasheedy, Alian A, Mohamed Ibrahim, Mohamed Izham, Paudyal, Vibhu, Christopher, Christina Malini, Shrestha, Sunil and Shrestha, Shakti (2024). Combatting opioid misuse, overuse and abuse: a systematic review of pharmacists' services and outcomes. Pain Management, 14 (9), 519-529. doi: 10.1080/17581869.2024.2411930
2024
Journal Article
Evidence-based Medication knowledge Brokers in Residential Aged CarE (EMBRACE): protocol for a helix-counterbalanced randomised controlled trial
Bell, J. Simon, La Caze, Adam, Steeper, Michelle, Haines, Terry P., Hilmer, Sarah N., Troeung, Lakkhina, Quirke, Lyntara, Wesson, Jacqueline, Pond, Constance Dimity, Buys, Laurie, Ghahreman-Falconer, Nazanin, Lawless, Michael T., Shrestha, Shakti, Martini, Angelita, Ochieng, Nancy, Glamorgan, Francesca, Lagasca, Carmela, Walton, Rebecca, Cenin, Dayna, Kitson, Alison, Jung, Monica, Bennett, Alexandra and Cross, Amanda J. (2024). Evidence-based Medication knowledge Brokers in Residential Aged CarE (EMBRACE): protocol for a helix-counterbalanced randomised controlled trial. Implementation science : IS, 19 (1) 24, 1-15. doi: 10.1186/s13012-024-01353-z
2024
Conference Publication
Examining factors influencing implementation of a new psychotropic guideline in Australian aged care setting
Shrestha, Shakti, La Caze, Adam, Cross, Amanda, Steeper, Michelle and Bell, Simon (2024). Examining factors influencing implementation of a new psychotropic guideline in Australian aged care setting. 56th Australian Association of Gerontology Conference, Gold Coast, QLD Australia, 14-17 November 2023. Australian Association of Gerontology.
2023
Journal Article
Stroke epidemiology and outcomes of stroke patients in Nepal: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Paudel, Raju, Tunkl, Christine, Shrestha, Shakti, Subedi, Ram Chandra, Adhikari, Ayush, Thapa, Lekhjung, Gajurel, Bikram Prasad, Chandra, Avinash, Kharel, Ghanashyam, Jalan, Pankaj, Phuyal, Subash, Pokharel, Babu Ram, Acharya, Subi, Bogati, Kanchan, Jha, Pinky, Kharbuja, Naresh and Gumbinger, Christoph (2023). Stroke epidemiology and outcomes of stroke patients in Nepal: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Neurology, 23 (1) 337, 337. doi: 10.1186/s12883-023-03382-5
2023
Conference Publication
Ensuring appropriate use of psychotropic medicines in residential aged care: The people, processes and infrastructure
La Caze, Adam, Shrestha, Shakti, Cross, Amanda, Steeper, Michelle, Ghrahreman-Falconer, Nazanin, Buys, Laurie, Ochieng, Nancy and Bell, Simon (2023). Ensuring appropriate use of psychotropic medicines in residential aged care: The people, processes and infrastructure. 81st FIP World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brisbane, Australia, 24-28 September. The Hague, Netherlands: International Pharmaceutical Federation. doi: 10.46542/pe.2023.236.435509
2023
Journal Article
Deprescribing Tool for Older PeoPle with Limited‐life Expectancy (De‐TOPPLE) version 1: development and validation using a modified Delphi technique
Shrestha, Shakti, Poudel, Arjun, Steadman, Kathryn J. and Nissen, Lisa M. (2023). Deprescribing Tool for Older PeoPle with Limited‐life Expectancy (De‐TOPPLE) version 1: development and validation using a modified Delphi technique. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, 134 (1), 15-27. doi: 10.1111/bcpt.13907
2023
Journal Article
Clinical profile and knowledge, attitude and practice of patients presenting with headache
Ghimire, M. R., Thapa, M., Shrestha, A. M., Bhattrai, S., Ghimire, S., Sharma, N., Soti, B., Dutta, A., Shrestha, S., Pokhare, M., Poudel, R. and Thapa, L. J. (2023). Clinical profile and knowledge, attitude and practice of patients presenting with headache. Kathmandu University Medical Journal, 21 (82), 190-196.
2023
Other Outputs
Optimising medication use in older adults with limited life expectancy
Shrestha, Shakti (2023). Optimising medication use in older adults with limited life expectancy. PhD Thesis, School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/8d8ed8d
2023
Journal Article
A systematic review on methods for developing and validating deprescribing tools for older adults with limited life expectancy
Shrestha, Shakti, Poudel, Arjun, Forough, Ayda S., Steadman, Kathryn J. and Nissen, Lisa M. (2023). A systematic review on methods for developing and validating deprescribing tools for older adults with limited life expectancy. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 31 (1), 3-14. doi: 10.1093/ijpp/riac094
2022
Journal Article
Inhaler competence in Nepalese patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmunory disease: a systematic review
Sharma Poudel, Ramesh, Shrestha, Shakti, Erku, Daniel Asfaw, Lamichhane, Praves, Karki, Sharad, Maskey, Dipesh and Adhikari, Shital (2022). Inhaler competence in Nepalese patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmunory disease: a systematic review. Journal of Nepal Health Research Council, 20 (2), 279-288. doi: 10.33314/jnhrc.v20i02.4113
2022
Conference Publication
Development and validation of a deprescribing decision aid tool for use in older adults with limited life expectancy using a modified Delphi technique
Shrestha, S., Poudel, A., Steadman, K. J. and Nissen, L. M. (2022). Development and validation of a deprescribing decision aid tool for use in older adults with limited life expectancy using a modified Delphi technique. 1st International Conference on Deprescribing, Kolding, Denmark, 5-7 September 2022.
2022
Journal Article
Psychosocial Well-Being of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Chitwan District, Nepal: a Mixed Method Study
Khatiwada, Dipendra, Baral, Rojina, Shrestha, Shakti, Poudel, Ramesh Sharma and Chalise, Hari Prasad (2022). Psychosocial Well-Being of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Chitwan District, Nepal: a Mixed Method Study. Journal of Nepal Health Research Council, 20 (1), 115-123. doi: 10.33314/jnhrc.v20i01.3993
2022
Journal Article
Development and validation of a tool to understand health care professionals' attitudes towards deprescribing (HATD) in older adults with limited life expectancy
Shrestha, Shakti, Poudel, Arjun, Reeve, Emily, Linsky, Amy M., Steadman, Kathryn J. and Nissen, Lisa M. (2022). Development and validation of a tool to understand health care professionals' attitudes towards deprescribing (HATD) in older adults with limited life expectancy. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 18 (9), 3596-3601. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2022.03.002
2022
Journal Article
Impact of hospital pharmacist-delivered individualised pharmaceutical service intervention on clinical and patient-reported outcomes in patients with hypertension: a randomised controlled trial
Paudel, Nabina, Shrestha, Shakti, Marasine, Nirmal Raj, Khanal, Pitambar, Aryal, Sushant, Erku, Daniel and Poudel, Arjun (2022). Impact of hospital pharmacist-delivered individualised pharmaceutical service intervention on clinical and patient-reported outcomes in patients with hypertension: a randomised controlled trial. European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, 30 (6) 002512, ejhpharm-2020. doi: 10.1136/ejhpharm-2020-002512
2021
Conference Publication
Stakeholders' attitudes towards deprescribing in older adults with a limited life expectancy: a tool development study
Shrestha, Shakti, Poudel, Arjun, Reeve, Emily, Linsky, Amy M., Steadman, Kathryn J. and Nissen, Lisa M. (2021). Stakeholders' attitudes towards deprescribing in older adults with a limited life expectancy: a tool development study. 54th Australian Association of Gerontology Conference, Virtual, 9-12 November 2021.
2021
Journal Article
Dispensing of antibiotics without a prescription by community pharmacies in Nepal: A call for action
Poudel, Ramesh Sharma, Shrestha, Shakti and Adhikari, Shital (2021). Dispensing of antibiotics without a prescription by community pharmacies in Nepal: A call for action. Public Health in Practice, 2 100117, 100117. doi: 10.1016/j.puhip.2021.100117
2021
Journal Article
Antibiotic utilization, sensitivity, and cost in the medical intensive care unit of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Nepal
Marasine, Nirmal Raj, Shrestha, Shakti, Sankhi, Sabina, Paudel, Nabina, Gautam, Ashish and Poudel, Arjun (2021). Antibiotic utilization, sensitivity, and cost in the medical intensive care unit of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Nepal. Sage Open Medicine, 9, 205031212110437. doi: 10.1177/20503121211043710
2021
Journal Article
Cost-Effectiveness of Medicinal Cannabis for Management of Refractory Symptoms Associated With Chronic Conditions: A Systematic Review of Economic Evaluations
Erku, Daniel, Shrestha, Shakti and Scuffham, Paul (2021). Cost-Effectiveness of Medicinal Cannabis for Management of Refractory Symptoms Associated With Chronic Conditions: A Systematic Review of Economic Evaluations. Value in Health, 24 (10), 1520-1530. doi: 10.1016/j.jval.2021.04.1276
2021
Other Outputs
End of life care for frail older people; do we have a consensus guideline on deprescribing?
Poudel, Arjun, Shrestha, Shakti, Lukacisinova, Anna and Nissen, Lisa (2021). End of life care for frail older people; do we have a consensus guideline on deprescribing?. doi: 10.22541/au.162511832.26793696/v1
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Shakti Shrestha is:
- Available for supervision
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Media
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