Using INTERCheck® to Evaluate the Incidence of Adverse Events and Drug-Drug Interactions in Out- and Inpatients Exposed to Polypharmacy.
Drugs Real World Outcomes
; 7(3): 243-249, 2020 Sep.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32346839
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Polypharmacy exposes patients with comorbidities (particularly elderly patients) to an increased risk of drug-specific adverse events and drug-drug interactions. These adverse events could be avoided with the use of a computerized prescription support system in the primary care setting. The INTERCheck® software is a prescription support system developed with the aim of balancing the risks and benefits of polytherapy and examining drug-drug interactions.OBJECTIVES:
This observational study used the INTERCheck® software to evaluate the incidence of adverse events and of drug-drug interactions in outpatients and inpatients receiving multiple medications.METHODS:
Patients were randomly enrolled from the outpatient department (n = 98) and internal medicine ward (n = 46) of S. Andrea Hospital of Rome. Polypharmacological treatment was analyzed using INTERCheck® software, and the prevalence of risk indicators and adverse events was compared between the two groups.RESULTS:
Polypharmacy (use of five or more drugs) applied to all except three cases among outpatients and one case among inpatients. A significant positive correlation was found between the number of medications and the INTERCheck® score (ρ = 0.67; p < 0.000001), and a significant negative correlation was found between the drug-related anticholinergic burden and cognitive impairment (r = - 0.30 p = 0.01). Based on the INTERCheck® analysis, inpatients had a higher score for class D (contraindicated drug combination should be avoided) than did outpatients (p = 0.01). The potential class D drug-drug interactions were associated with adverse events that caused hospitalization (χ2 = 7.428, p = 0.01).CONCLUSIONS:
INTERCheck® analysis indicated that inpatients had a high risk of drug-drug interactions and a high percentage of related adverse drug events. Further prospective studies are necessary to evaluate whether the INTERCheck® software may help reduce polypharmacy-related adverse events when used in a primary care setting and thus potentially avoid related hospitalization and severe complications such as physical and cognitive decline.
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Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Tipo de estudio:
Incidence_studies
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Observational_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Idioma:
En
Año:
2020
Tipo del documento:
Article