Potential drug interactions in intensive care patients at a teaching hospital

Authors

  • Rhanna Emanuela Fontenele Lima Universidade de São Paulo; Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto; WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing Research Development
  • Silvia Helena De Bortoli Cassiani Universidade de São Paulo; Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto; WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing Research Development

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-11692009000200013

Keywords:

intensive care units, drug interactions

Abstract

This study assessed potential drugs interactions in intensive care patients at a university hospital in Ceará, northeast Brazil. Of 102 patients studied, 72.5% were exposed to 311 potential drug-drug interactions; 64% of them were females aged 60 years or more and hospital stay was at least 9 days. A statistically significant association was found between number of drugs used and the occurrence of drug interactions. A total of 1,140 drugs were scheduled to be administered concomitantly; of these, 74% had potential for drug interactions. As for the classification of these events, 48.2% had a pharmacokinetic profile; 55.4% were of slow onset; 54.7% had moderate severity; and 60.6% were well-documented in the literature. The most common clinical action taken was "to monitor signs and symptoms". Nursing staff can perform 80% of preventive actions to avoid undesirable effects of drug interactions. However, nurses need to have adequate knowledge about drug action mechanisms and triggering factors associated to drug interactions.

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Published

2009-04-01

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 2 (2009)

Section

Original Articles

License

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Including names of authors whose contribution does not fit into the above criteria cannot be justified. Those names can be included in the Acknowledgements section.
 Authors are fully responsible for the concepts disseminated in their manuscripts, which do not necessarily reflect the editors’ and editorial board’s opinion.

 

How to Cite

Potential drug interactions in intensive care patients at a teaching hospital. (2009). Revista Latino-Americana De Enfermagem, 17(2), 222-227. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-11692009000200013