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Gériatrie et Psychologie Neuropsychiatrie du Vieillissement

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Preventable drug events in acute geriatric unit Volume 11, issue 1, Mars 2013

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Authors
Service de médecine interne, Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Hospices civils de Lyon, Lyon, France, Service de soins de suite et réadaptation, Hôpital de Bourg-en-Bresse, France, Service de court séjour gériatrique, Centre hospitalier Lyon Sud, Hospices civils de Lyon, Pierre Bénite, France

The study was performed on 313 patients hospitalized in an acute geriatric unit during a six-month period and aimed at determine the prevalence of adverse drug events (ADE) and the preventability of them. Methods: ADE were determined by the medical information unit. Preventability was determined by inadequacy with standards of care, medication-related factors (non respect of contra-indication) and explicit lists of harmful medication in the elderly. Results: prevalence of ADE was 12.7%. The mean age of patients was 84.8 years old. The number of comorbidities per patient was 3 and medications consumed were 7.7±3.1. 70% of them were ambulatory patient with an activity of daily living of 3.8±1.76. Cardiovascular (39%), psychotropic (36.6%) and morphinic (7.3%) medicines were the most frequently involved. The symptoms that occurred most frequently were haemorragia (28.6%), falls (14.3%), and sleepiness (9.5%) and were preventable in 31% of cases. Conclusion: elderly patients with multiple pathologies are at high risk for ADE. These ADE are preventable by using scores, following standards of care, respecting contra-indications of medications.