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Hospital admissions to geriatric ward related to adverse drug events: a cross-sectional study from the Czech Republic

Publication at Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Králové |
2021

Abstract

Background Geriatric patients represent a vulnerable population in terms of adverse drug events (ADEs). Objective The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence and preventability of hospital admissions to a geriatric ward related to ADEs, to identify medications involved in these ADEs and to describe potential preventability aspects of ADE-related admissions.

Setting University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. Methods This cross-sectional study evaluated acute hospital admissions to the geriatric ward of University Hospital Hradec Kralove over a period of nine months (April-December 2017).

Medication reviews were performed in order to identify ADE-related hospital admissions. Causality was assessed using the World Health Organization-Uppsala Monitoring Centre criteria.

Modified Schumock-Thornton algorithm was used to assess the preventability of ADEs. Main outcome measure 9-month-prevalence of ADE-related hospital admissions.

Results A total of 366 hospital admissions were included. The 9-month-prevalence of ADE-related hospital admissions was 11.75% [95% confidence interval 8.45-15.05].

Antithrombotic agents and diuretics represented the most common medication classes associated with ADEs (30.2% each). Electrolyte disturbances and gastrointestinal haemorrhages and ulcerations were the most frequently observed ADEs associated with hospital admission.

Out of 43 ADE-related hospitalisations, 23 (53.5%) were considered potentially preventable. Conclusion The contribution of ADEs to hospital admission to the geriatric ward was not negligible.

Our results also suggest that 53.5% of identified ADE-related admissions could be potentially prevented. This finding demonstrates just how important the research on the preventability of medication-related hospitalisations is.

Further studies and implementations are still needed aiming to minimize the risk of medication-related harm.