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Published on: August 30, 2018

Adverse drug reactions in United States hospitals

C A Bond1, Cynthia L Raehl

  • 1Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, 79106, USA. cab.bond@ttuhsc.edu

Pharmacotherapy
|April 28, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in hospitalized Medicare patients increased mortality and hospital stay. Identifying high-risk diagnoses and drug classes can help pharmacists prevent ADRs.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacovigilance
  • Health Services Research
  • Geriatric Medicine

Background:

  • Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) pose a significant risk to patient safety and healthcare costs.
  • Understanding the epidemiology of ADRs in large patient populations is crucial for effective risk management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the incidence, associated diagnoses, and clinical and economic impact of ADRs in hospitalized Medicare patients.
  • To identify high-risk diagnoses and drug classes associated with ADRs to aid in targeted prevention strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of the 1998 MedPAR database, including 8,208,960 hospitalized Medicare patients.
  • Identification of 141,398 patients who experienced an ADR, with statistical analysis of associated factors and outcomes.

Main Results:

  • The overall rate of ADRs was 1.73%, with cardiotonic glycosides, corticosteroids, antineoplastics, anticoagulants, and analgesics being the most common drug classes involved.
  • ADRs were linked to increased mortality (19.18% higher), extended hospital stays (8.25% longer), and substantial increases in total Medicare charges ($339.5 million).
  • Commonly associated diagnoses included hypertension, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and volume depletion disorders.

Conclusions:

  • ADRs significantly increase mortality, hospital length of stay, and healthcare costs in hospitalized Medicare patients.
  • Identifying high-risk patient groups and drug classes is essential for developing targeted interventions and improving patient safety.
  • These findings provide a foundation for pharmacists to implement proactive management programs for ADRs.

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