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Paediatric drug therapy. I--Medication use in hospitalized patients
1College of Pharmacy, Ohio State University, Columbus.
Insights
Pediatric patients commonly received multiple medications, with antibiotics and anticonvulsants being most frequent. Understanding drug use patterns and interactions in children is key for optimizing pharmaceutical care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pharmacology
- Hospital Pharmacy
- Drug Utilization Studies
Background:
- Hospitalized pediatric patients often require multiple medications.
- Understanding medication patterns is crucial for patient safety and effective treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively analyze medication use in hospitalized children.
- To identify common drug classes, dosing patterns, and potential drug-drug interactions.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 97 pediatric patients.
- Data collection on scheduled drug use per patient.
- Analysis of drug classes, specific drugs, and identified interactions.
Main Results:
- Average of 4.8 scheduled drugs per patient.
- Antibiotics and anticonvulsants were the most common drug classes.
- Potential drug-drug interactions frequently involved anticonvulsants.
Conclusions:
- Findings highlight the complexity of pediatric polypharmacy.
- Data can inform targeted drug utilization reviews and pharmacy education.
- Optimizing medication management in pediatric inpatients is essential for improved patient outcomes.
Abstract:
Medication use was studied prospectively in 97 hospitalized paediatric patients at a children's hospital. An average of 4.8 scheduled drugs were used per patient. Antibiotics and anticonvulsants were the two most commonly used drug classes. Penicillins, anticonvulsants, aminoglycosides, cephalosporins, and theophylline were most frequently prescribed in our patients. A wide range of doses was used for drugs with narrow therapeutic indices. Most potential drug-drug interactions involved an anticonvulsant with another drug. These data may assist in targeting drug utilization review studies and educational programs justifiably to retain existing positions or create new opportunities within the departments of pharmacy to optimize patient care.