Potential drug interactions in intensive care patients at a teaching hospital.
This study assessed potential drugs interactions in intensive care patients at a university hospital in Ceará, northeast Brazil. Of 102 patients studied, 72.5% were exposed to 311 potential drug-drug interactions; 64% of them were females aged 60 years or more and hospital stay was at least 9 days. A statistically significant association was found between number of drugs used and the occurrence of drug interactions. A total of 1,140 drugs were scheduled to be administered concomitantly; of these, 74% had potential for drug interactions. As for the classification of these events, 48.2% had a pharmacokinetic profile; 55.4% were of slow onset; 54.7% had moderate severity; and 60.6% were well-documented in the literature. The most common clinical action taken was 'to monitor signs and symptoms'. Nursing staff can perform 80% of preventive actions to avoid undesirable effects of drug interactions. However, nurses need to have adequate knowledge about drug action mechanisms and triggering factors associated to drug interactions.
Lima
Rhanna Emanuela Fontenele
RE
Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil. rhannalima@gmail.com
De Bortoli Cassiani
Silvia Helena
SH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult