title: Impact of the implementation of vasoactive drug protocols on safety and efficacy in the treatment of critically ill patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The correct management of high-alert medications is a priority issue in expert recommendations for improving the clinical safety of patients. Objectives were to assess the impact of the implementation of vasoactive drug (VAD) protocols on safety and efficacy in the treatment of critically ill patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective before-and-after study on the implementation of different VAD protocols, comparing medication errors (MEs) rates, mean intensive care unit (ICU) stay, mean blood pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR) and oxygen saturation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study included 432 patients. There was a statistically significant decrease in prescribing errors (55·9%), validation errors (68·1%) and medication administration records (MAR) errors (78·8%). No differences were found between the two phases in ICU stay, MAP, HR and oxygen saturation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Implementation of protocols decreases variability in clinical practice, reduces the incidence of MEs and maintains the effectiveness of VAD therapy in critically ill patients.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain. mariaisabel.cuesta@salud.madrid.org.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cuesta López
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sánchez Cuervo
authors.affiliation: Anaesthesia and Resuscitation Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Á
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Candela Toha
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Department, School of Pharmacy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benedí González
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bermejo Vicedo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000009:adverse effects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012449:Safety
chemical_list: D002317:Cardiovascular Agents
keywords: drug utilization; intensive care; medication errors; protocol; safety; vasoactive drugs