title: Determining drug-drug interactions and related effects on microcomputers.
abstract: Algorithms for determining drug-drug interactions are described. They handle all the generic drugs in the British National Formulary (BNF) (Number 5, British Medical Association and Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, 1984) and allow these drugs to be identified by generic or trade name. They also accept and identify interactions for compound drugs prescribed by a single trade name. The algorithms can be implemented on any microcomputer and in a number of languages. The choice of algorithm and number of drugs handled depend on size and disk storage of the microcomputer. It was tested in collaboration with the Department of Geriatric Medicine, Liverpool University, and is used in a prescribing monitoring system operational in some wards of the Royal Liverpool Hospital. The drug data are stored in the form given in the BNF and can be easily updated from this publication. The algorithms can also handle drug allergies and cross-sensitivities.
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003201:Computers; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007256:Information Systems; D008838:Microcomputers