[Prescription of acetaminophen in five French hospitals: What are the practices?]
OBJECTIVE
Acetaminophen is widely used in hospital settings and often considered as nontoxic. We conducted a multicentric study in order to evaluate its proper use.


METHODS
Prescriptions from five general hospitals were analyzed, according to dose adjustments required in renal or liver failure, weight or chronic alcoholism, determined using a literature review. Other criteria have been assessed: indication for parenteral access, accuracy of administration time and pain assessment.


RESULTS
Among the 1256 analyzed prescriptions, 21% are non-compliants. The main causes of non-compliance (NC) are adjustments to weight and renal failure. Higher NC rates concern chronic alcoholism and liver failure.


CONCLUSIONS
Misuse of acetaminophen seems related to a lack of official recommendations concerning dose adjustments. Hospital pharmacists have an important role to play in the promotion of proper use of acetaminophen. Therefore we established a prescribing aid.
Service pharmacie, centre hospitalier Pierre-Oudot, 30, avenue du Médipôle, BP 40348, 38300 Bourgoin-Jallieu, France. Electronic address: jbtiste.pace@gmail.com.
Jean-Baptiste
JB
Pace
Service pharmacie, centre hospitalier Pierre-Oudot, 30, avenue du Médipôle, BP 40348, 38300 Bourgoin-Jallieu, France.
Viviane
V
Nave
Service pharmacie, centre hospitalier Pierre-Oudot, 30, avenue du Médipôle, BP 40348, 38300 Bourgoin-Jallieu, France.
Mélanie
M
Moulis
Service pharmacie, hôpital Nord-Ouest, 69655 Villefranche-sur-Saône, France.
Magali
M
Bourdelin
Service pharmacie, hôpital Nord-Ouest, 69655 Villefranche-sur-Saône, France.
Sandra
S
Coursier
Service pharmacie, hôpital Fleyriat, 01012 Bourg-en-Bresse, France.
Élodie
É
Jean-Bart
Service pharmacie, centre hospitalier William-Morey, 71100 Chalon-sur-Saône, France.
Bertrand
B
Leroy
Service pharmacie, hôpital Fleyriat, 01012 Bourg-en-Bresse, France.
Jean-Louis
JL
Bonnefous
Service pharmacie, hôpital Nord-Ouest, 69655 Villefranche-sur-Saône, France.
Hervé
H
Bontemps
Service pharmacie, centre hospitalier William-Morey, 71100 Chalon-sur-Saône, France.
Jérôme
J
Coutet
Service pharmacie, hôpital Les Charmes, 71604 Paray-Le-Monial, France.
Carine
C
Eyssette
Service pharmacie, centre hospitalier Pierre-Oudot, 30, avenue du Médipôle, BP 40348, 38300 Bourgoin-Jallieu, France.
Emmanuelle
E
Pont
D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000076064:Drug Misuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000082:Acetaminophen
Acetaminophen; Bon usage; Iatrogenic risk; Paracetamol; Paracétamol; Proper use; Risque iatrogène