[Drug treatment in surgical patients with electrolyte imbalances]

To qualitatively and quantitatively determine electrolyte imbalances (potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and calcium) in patients admitted for general and gastrointestinal surgery, the degree of these imbalances in percentage detected by medical staff, and the acceptance of the recommendations made by the Hospital Pharmacy Department.

Seven-month prospective study. Any alteration detected was recorded on a data collection form (personal data, hospital ward, type of alteration, detection by medical staff, type of pharmaceutical intervention, form of notification, acceptance of the intervention, date of imbalance correction, patient receiving parenteral nutrition).

100 imbalances were detected in 66 patients (231 analytical tests revised). A total of 78 interventions were carried out. Most changes were due to hypokalaemia and hypomagnesaemia, hypophosphataemia being the most frequent abnormality in patients receiving parenteral nutrition.The acceptance of pharmaceutical intervention was higher if the information was oral (100% vs. 35% written). Twice the number of analytical tests were performed after interventions (RR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.11 to 3.94, P=.006). When pharmaceutical intervention was accepted there was a greater number of imbalance resolutions in comparison with those cases which did not accept (RR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.01 to 2.24, P=.04).

This study shows that electrolyte imbalances are common in surgical patients and the level of detection and monitoring by medical staff is low. Therefore, the pharmacist could help in improving this aspect.