Medication discontinuity errors in the perioperative period.

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Pharmacology
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Medication management in the perioperative period is critical for preventing adverse events.
• Inappropriate medication withdrawal or continuation increases patient risk.
• Ensuring adherence to prescribed medication regimens is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the frequency and reasons for medication discontinuity errors in the perioperative period.
• To assess the impact of pre-operative instructions on medication adherence.
• To identify areas for improvement in perioperative medication management.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery.
• Assessment of perioperative medication intake in the operation theatre complex and post-operatively.
• Data collection via medical records and patient interviews, compared against pre-operative instructions.

Main Results:

• 69% of 701 patients used regular medication; 27% had errors in pre-operative intake.
• Unclear or misunderstood instructions accounted for 57% of pre-operative medication errors.
• Post-operative medication errors occurred in 26% of patients.

Conclusions:

• Medication errors are frequent in the perioperative period, despite electronic health records.
• Lack of a single responsible healthcare professional complicates medication intake management.
• Anesthesiologists should assume a greater role in overseeing perioperative medication intake.