Anticoagulation-associated adverse drug events.

Area of Science:

• Pharmacovigilance
• Patient Safety
• Health Economics

Background:

• Anticoagulant drugs are frequently implicated in adverse drug events (ADEs) among hospitalized patients.
• These ADEs contribute significantly to patient morbidity and healthcare expenditures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical characteristics, types, root causes, and outcomes of anticoagulant-associated ADEs.
• To determine the preventability and associated costs of these events in a hospital setting.

Main Methods:

• A 5-year retrospective study (May 2004-May 2009) at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
• Review of all inpatient anticoagulant-associated ADEs, including adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and medication errors, reported via the Safety Reporting System.
• Collection of data on hospitalization costs linked to ADRs.

Main Results:

• 463 anticoagulant-associated ADEs were identified, with medication errors comprising 48.8% and ADRs 30.5%.
• 70% of ADEs were deemed potentially preventable, with transcription errors being the most frequent root cause of medication errors.
• 11% of patients experienced death within 30 days of an ADE, and ADRs incurred substantial hospitalization costs, particularly nursing and pharmacy expenses.

Conclusions:

• The majority of anticoagulant-associated ADEs in inpatients stem from preventable medication errors.
• These events are associated with increased 30-day mortality and significant healthcare costs.
• Enhanced quality improvement initiatives targeting medication errors are crucial for improving patient safety and reducing healthcare expenditures.