title: EMPADE Study: Evaluation of Medical Prescriptions and Adverse Drug Events in COPD Patients Admitted to Intensive Care Unit.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inappropriate drug usage may preclude ideal benefit due to increased medical cost, antimicrobial resistance, adverse effects and mortality. Therefore drug utilization studies have become a plausible means in evaluating the healthcare systems. COPD management usually involves more than one drug which may escalate the risk of ADEs (adverse drug events).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study was aimed at assessing the current drug practice and ADEs in COPD management in ICU.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1,044 patients admitted for the treatment of COPD were included in the study. Their prescriptions were recorded for evaluation of drug utilization and patients were counseled for assessing ADEs. Results were evaluated by Chi-square test and percentages.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All-embracing 15,360 drugs were prescribed at an average of 14.71 drugs per patient, wherein β2-agonists were extensively prescribed agents followed by inhaled-corticosteroids and anti-cholinergics. 372 ADEs were reported in 252 patients, wherein restlessness was the most frequent ADE and theophylline was found to be associated with highest cases of ADEs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Practitioners should prescribe least number of drugs to mitigate the likelihood of adverse outcomes in patients due to numerous drugs usage, which may be achieved by following GOLD guidelines. The present work may help in improving the current management of COPD by rectifying the flaws delineated in this article.
authors.affiliation: Deccan School of Pharmacy, Clinical Pharmacist, Apollo Hospital , Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, India .
authors.forename: Mir S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Adil
authors.affiliation: Student, Deccan School of Pharmacy , Hyderabad, India .
authors.forename: M Amer
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Student, Deccan School of Pharmacy , Hyderabad, India .
authors.forename: M Nematullah
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Student, Deccan School of Pharmacy , Hyderabad, India .
authors.forename: Ihtisham
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sultan
authors.affiliation: Student, Deccan School of Pharmacy , Hyderabad, India .
authors.forename: M Aamer
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Head of Department, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Owaisi Hospital & Research Centre , Hyderabad, India .
authors.forename: S Amir
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Student, Deccan School of Pharmacy , Hyderabad, India .
authors.forename: Afroze
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farooqui
keywords: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Physician’s practice patterns; Respiratory medicine; Undesirable effects