title: [Preventable drug events in acute geriatric unit].
abstract: The study was performed on 313 patients hospitalized in an acute geriatric unit during a six-month period and aimed at determine the prevalence of adverse drug events (ADE) and the preventability of them.
  
  
  METHODS
  ADE were determined by the medical information unit. Preventability was determined by inadequacy with standards of care, medication-related factors (non respect of contra-indication) and explicit lists of harmful medication in the elderly.
  
  
  RESULTS
  prevalence of ADE was 12.7%. The mean age of patients was 84.8 years old. The number of comorbidities per patient was 3 and medications consumed were 7.7±3.1. 70% of them were ambulatory patient with an activity of daily living of 3.8±1.76. Cardiovascular (39%), psychotropic (36.6%) and morphinic (7.3%) medicines were the most frequently involved. The symptoms that occurred most frequently were haemorragia (28.6%), falls (14.3%), and sleepiness (9.5%) and were preventable in 31% of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  elderly patients with multiple pathologies are at high risk for ADE. These ADE are preventable by using scores, following standards of care, respecting contra-indications of medications.
authors.affiliation: Service de médecine interne, Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Hospices civils de Lyon, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Émilie
authors.initials: É
authors.lastname: Berthoux
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dufour
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Raharisondraibe
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonnefoy
mesh_terms: D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs
keywords: drug toxicity; elderly