title: [Drug-related problems in the emergency department observation area of a third-level hospital].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The therapeutic armamentarium of developed countries has experienced a great advance; however, increased drug therapy not only provides benefits, as the inappropriate use of drugs results in relevant consequences for patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 3-month, descriptive, cross-sectional, randomized study in 125 patients seen at the emergency department observation area of a third-level hospital to identify drug-related problems (DRPs). A hospital adaptation of Dader s method was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A mean of 0.94 DRPs per patient was obtained. Major DRPs (mDRPs) represented 50% of all DRPs; 69.50% of DRPs were avoidable; 44% were moderate, 38% mild, and 18% serious; 54.4% of patients were admitted to hospital, which originated in a mDRP in 25% of cases--this represents 50% of all patients with a mDRP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant portion of patients admitted to the observation area present there as a result of a DRP.
authors.affiliation: Fundación Reina Sofia-SEFH, Servicios de Observación de Urgencias, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofia, Córdoba, Spain.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cubero-Caballero
authors.lastname: Torres-Murillo
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Campos-Pérez
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gómez del Río
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Calleja-Hernández
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged