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Drug-related deaths in a department of internal medicine

J Ebbesen1, I Buajordet, J Erikssen

  • 1Foundation for Health Services Research, Central Hospital of Akershus, N-1474 Nordbyhagen, Norway. justebbe@online.no

Archives of Internal Medicine
|November 9, 2001
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Fatal adverse drug events (ADEs) are a significant hospital issue, contributing to 9.5 deaths per 1000 patients. Older patients with multiple conditions and polypharmacy face higher risks.

Area of Science:

  • Internal Medicine
  • Clinical Pharmacology
  • Hospital Pharmacy

Background:

  • Adverse drug events (ADEs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients.
  • Fatal ADEs pose a significant challenge in healthcare settings, necessitating accurate incidence assessment and risk factor identification.

Observation:

  • A 2-year study of 732 deceased patients in Internal Medicine revealed that 18.2% had deaths associated with ADEs.
  • Patients experiencing fatal ADEs were older, had more comorbidities, and were prescribed a higher number of medications.

Findings:

  • Approximately 9.5 deaths per 1000 hospitalizations were directly or indirectly linked to ADEs.
  • Cardiovascular, antithrombotic, and sympathomimetic agents were identified as major contributing drugs.
  • Autopsy and drug analyses were crucial in confirming or excluding fatal ADEs.

Implications:

  • Fatal ADEs are a substantial hospital problem, particularly impacting elderly patients with multiple diseases.
  • Increased drug administration correlates with a higher incidence of fatal ADEs, warranting further investigation into polypharmacy as an independent risk factor.
  • Robust diagnostic methods, including autopsy and drug analysis, are vital for managing suspected fatal ADEs.

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