[Medication errors in Spanish intensive care units].

Area of Science:

• Critical care medicine
• Patient safety
• Pharmacovigilance

Context:

• Intensive care units (ICUs) are high-risk environments for medical errors.
• Medication errors represent a significant patient safety concern globally.
• This study focuses on medication error incidence within Spanish ICUs.

Purpose:

• To estimate the incidence and characteristics of medication errors in Spanish ICUs.
• To identify the phases of care where medication errors are most prevalent.
• To assess the impact and avoidability of medication errors in critically ill patients.

Summary:

• A post hoc analysis of the SYREC trial involving 1017 patients across 79 Spanish ICUs.
• Identified a medication error rate of 1.13 per 100 patient-days.
• Medication errors were most common during prescription (34%) and administration (28%), with 16% causing patient harm and 82% deemed avoidable.

Impact:

• Highlights the substantial burden of medication errors in critically ill patients.
• Informs strategies for improving medication safety in ICUs.
• Emphasizes the need for interventions targeting prescription and administration phases to reduce avoidable harm.