Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 31, 2025

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

87.4K

Medication follow-up in newborns with extremely low birth-weight

Catarine V Loureiro1, Marta M Fonteles2, Mylenne B Mascarenhas3

  • 1MSc (Pharm Sci). Post-graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Ceará. Fortaleza, CE (Brazil). catarinevitor@yahoo.com.br.

Pharmacy Practice
|January 4, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Clinical pharmacists identified drug-related problems in 39.4% of extremely low birth-weight infants. Interventions improved pharmacotherapy safety and effectiveness, highlighting the pharmacist's crucial role in neonatal intensive care units.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Clinical Pharmacy
  • Pharmacotherapy

Background:

  • Extremely low birth-weight (ELBW) infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) often require complex pharmacotherapy.
  • Medication management in this vulnerable population presents unique challenges and risks for drug-related problems (DRPs).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe medication follow-up in ELBW infants within a NICU.
  • To identify drug-related problems (DRPs) and their negative outcomes.
  • To explore the relationship between DRPs, birth-weight, and impact on pharmacotherapy and hospital stay.

Main Methods:

  • A descriptive and exploratory study involving clinical pharmacists.
  • Medication follow-up included assessing pharmacotherapy needs, evaluating prescriptions and medical records, and monitoring clinical evolution.
  • Focus on ELBW infants admitted to a government maternity hospital's NICU.

Main Results:

  • 39.4% of 33 ELBW infants experienced DRPs, with an average of 2.8 problems per patient.
  • Vancomycin and cefepime were the most frequent drugs associated with DRPs.
  • Top negative outcomes included "untreated health problem" and "quantitative ineffectiveness"; interventions focused on treatment duration and dose adjustments.

Conclusions:

  • Clinical pharmacists play a vital role in preventing and resolving DRPs, enhancing pharmacotherapy safety and effectiveness in the NICU.
  • Confirmed an association between newborn characteristics (birth-weight, pharmacotherapy) and the occurrence of DRPs.
Abstract

Keywords:
Birth WeightBrazilExtremely Low Birth WeightFollow-Up StudiesInfantIntensive Care UnitsLength of StayNeonatalPatient Care TeamPharmaceutical ServicesPharmacists

More Related Videos

A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect05:04

A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect

Published on: September 22, 2023

786
Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit11:50

Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Published on: January 7, 2020

27.4K

Related Concept Videos

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion01:26

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion

In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
168
Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
202
Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview01:21

Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview

When it comes to infants and young children, they are typically administered smaller doses of medication in comparison to adults. This is primarily because their organ functions still need to fully develop, meaning their bodies are not as efficient at metabolizing or eliminating drugs. Additionally, their blood-brain barrier is more permeable than in adults. As a result, high concentrations of drugs can easily penetrate the central nervous system (CNS), potentially leading to neurological...
2.8K
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution01:17

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution

Drug distribution in the pediatric population exhibits unique challenges and considerations due to the physiological differences between children, particularly neonates and infants, and adults. A crucial aspect of pediatric pharmacology is understanding how these differences impact the pharmacokinetics of various drugs, necessitating age-specific dosing strategies to ensure efficacy and safety.Neonates and infants have a higher total body water content, ~75%–90% of their body weight,...
209
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption01:23

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption

Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...
191
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism01:24

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism

In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses...
152