title: Admissions for drug-related problems at the Emergency Department of a University Hospital in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Medication Errors can result in drug-related problems (DRPs). Insight into the frequency, type, and severity of DRPs could help reduce their incidence. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of admissions as a result of DRPs at the Emergency Department (ED) of a university hospital in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Files of suspected cases of DRPs reporting to ED in the year 2012 were scrutinized. Suspicion arose from the hospital record system based on Diagnosis Code Numbers (ICD-9-CM, Professional 2010) and from triggers, such as some drugs, laboratory tests, and signs and symptoms pointing to DRPs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 5574 admissions, 253 (4.5%) were DRPs and were categorized as: Overdose toxicity and side effects of drugs 50 (19.8%), drug-interactions 29 (11.5%), accidental and suicidal drug ingestions 26 (10.3%), drug abuse 18 (7.1%), drug allergy 10 (4%), super-infections 8 (3.2%), and noncompliance to treatment 112 (44.3%). About 70% of DRPs were preventable; 67 (26.5%) required hospital admission for 7-102 days and 10 (4%) died.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Noncompliance to treatment, overdose toxicity, drug interactions, and drug abuse are important causes of hospital admissions as a result of DRPs. Awareness of prescribers to the problem and their education would help to prevent them and improve patient care.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Dammam, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors: Mastour S
authors: MS
authors: Alghamdy
authors: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Dammam, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors: Mohammad A
authors: MA
authors: Randhawa
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors: Mohye H
authors: MH
authors: Al-Wahhas
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors: Mohammad A
authors: MA
authors: Al-Jumaan
keywords: Drug-related problems; Emergency Department; Saudi Arabia; University Hospital
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