[Detection by a computer program of drug interactions in chronic patients. Its practical usefulness in a health center].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate a computer programme which was used to detect drug interactions (DI) from the Long Treatment Cards (LTC) and to analyse the factors possibly linked to these interactions.


METHODS
An observational, descriptive study.


METHODS
Primary Health Care: an urban Health Centre.


METHODS
The reference context was 1,640 chronic patients being cared for at a nursing clinic. We selected 141 cases at random by taking 10 LTCs from each list. (Alpha risk = 0.05; Confidence Interval = 0.05).


RESULTS
The sample was mainly feminine (2:1), with an average age of 67. The most common diagnosis was Diabetes or AHT. 55% had accumulated 4 or more medicines per card, with multiple medication most common among men. The programme enabled 58 drug interactions, affecting 34% of the LTCs, to be identified.


CONCLUSIONS
Special attention should be paid to the LTCs with 7 or more drugs prescribed because of their association with DI and NIV. The programme's efficacy would increase, both if the DIs were more accurately defined and if the programme could be computerised and applied massively to chronic treatments.
Lobato Madueño
F
F
Centro de Salud, El Palo, Málaga.
Portillo Strempel
J
J
Pérez Vicente
A
A
García Lopez
A
A
García Raso
M A
MA
Morilla Herrera
J C
JC
D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012984:Software; D014505:Urban Population