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Adverse drug reactions as a cause of admission to a Dublin-based university teaching hospital

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Irish Journal of Medical Science (1971 -) Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

A meta-analysis of 25 international studies suggests that 4.2–6.0 % of medical admissions are the result of an adverse drug reaction (ADR). One Irish study has found that 8.8 % of admissions to a university teaching hospital were attributable to ADRs.

Aim

To develop and evaluate a process to detect ADR-related medical admissions to a university teaching hospital in North Dublin.

Methods

A screening process was developed to detect ADR-related admissions based on a previous Scottish study. Having evaluated the accuracy of the screening process in a large Dublin-based university teaching hospital, the same methodology was then applied to medical admissions occurring over a 9-day period.

Results

The sensitivity and specificity of the screening process were 100 and 97 %, respectively. The incidence of ADR-related hospitalization from 137 admissions was 5.1 % (95 % CI 1.4–8.8 %). Of the ADRs, six were type A (predictable and preventable) and one was a type B (uncommon ADRs) reaction. Of the seven ADRs, two were considered to be unavoidable while five were potentially avoidable. High-risk medications namely anticoagulants, antiplatelets and antihypertensives were identified as causative medications.

Conclusions

This study outlines the feasibility of screening for ADR-related admission in the hospital setting. ADRs constitute an important and avoidable cause of hospital admission.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Health Research Board of Ireland for generously funding this study as well as the staff of the acute medical assessment unit and accident and emergency department in Beaumont Hospital for their help during the study.

Conflict of interest

None.

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Authors and Affiliations

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Corresponding author

Correspondence to D. Walsh.

Appendix

Appendix

See Table 3.

Table 3 ADR screening form

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Walsh, D., Lavan, A., Cushen, AM. et al. Adverse drug reactions as a cause of admission to a Dublin-based university teaching hospital. Ir J Med Sci 184, 441–447 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-014-1140-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-014-1140-1

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