title: Medication errors in Parkinson's disease inpatients in the Basque Country.
abstract: Parkinson's disease (PD) medication errors, including both missing dopaminergic drug doses and antidopaminergic usage, have been suggested as risk factors for prolonged hospital stays. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of such errors in PD patients admitted to public acute-care hospitals in the Basque Country over a two year period and their association with clinically relevant adverse health outcomes, such as length of hospital stay and mortality.
  
  
  
  All PD patients admitted to any of the 11 public acute-care hospitals in the Basque Country in 2011-2012 were included. Medication errors involved incorrect timing or the complete omission of administration for dopaminergic drugs, and the administration of centrally acting antidopaminergics. A logistic regression and a competing risk analysis were applied to verify whether those errors affected intrahospital mortality and length of stay.
  
  
  
  The study included 1628 patients admitted 2546 times. Medication errors, affecting almost one third of admissions and half of patients, were associated with higher mortality: inappropriately omitted dopaminergic drug doses OR = 1.92 CI 95% (1.34-2.76); inappropriate antiemetic administration OR = 2.15 CI 95% (1.36-3.39); and inappropriate antipsychotic administration OR = 1.91 CI 95% (1.33-1.73). Inappropriately omitted doses and both inappropriate antipsychotic and antiemetic administration were associated with a significant 4-day increase in median hospital stay.
  
  
  
  Medication errors (missing dopaminergic drug doses and centrally acting antidopaminergic use) are not only associated with increased length of hospital stays in PD patients, but also with a higher mortality rate.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Service, Araba Mental Health Network, C/Alava 43, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Alava, Spain. Electronic address: unax.lertxundietxebarria@osakidetza.net.
authors.forename: Unax
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lertxundi
authors.affiliation: Pharmacokinetic, Nanotechnology and Gene Therapy Group (PharmaNanoGene), Faculty of Pharmacy, Lascaray Research Center, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad, 7, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
authors.forename: Arantxa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Isla
authors.affiliation: Pharmacokinetic, Nanotechnology and Gene Therapy Group (PharmaNanoGene), Faculty of Pharmacy, Lascaray Research Center, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad, 7, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
authors.forename: María Ángeles
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Solinís
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Service, Alto Deba Integrated Health Organization, Avda. Nafarroa 16, 20500 Arrasate Gipuzkoa, Spain.
authors.forename: Saioa Domingo-
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Echaburu
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Service, Araba Mental Health Network, C/Alava 43, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Alava, Spain.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Service, Galdakao-Usansolo Hospital, Barrio Labeaga s/n, Galdakao, Bizkaia, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peral-Aguirregoitia
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Service, Bizkaia Mental Health Network, Portugalete, Bizkaia, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Medrano
authors.affiliation: Neurology Service, Galdakao-Usansolo Hospital, Barrio Labeaga s/n, Galdakao, Bizkaia, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: García-Moncó
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000639:trends; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000639:trends*; D008297:Male; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000639:trends*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D015259:Dopamine Agents
keywords: Haloperidol; Hospitalization; Inappropriate prescription; Levodopa; Medication errors; Metoclopramide; Parkinson's disease