[Deaths from adverse drug events in Brazil: Mortality Information System as a source of information]

Adverse drug events (ADEs) are harmful events caused by medication, and some of which can lead to death. Death records are an important source of information when using codes from the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) suggestive of ADE. This study aimed to identify the ADEs registered in Brazililian Mortality Information System (SIM), analyzing data distribution by year, age group, and type of event. This is an ecological study with retrospective data collection, identifying ADEs in the SIM, using the ICD-10 codes. The study included deaths that occurred in Brazil from 2008 to 2016. An increase in the number of deaths associated with ADE was observed from 2008 to 2016, with a mortality rate per 1 million inhabitants ranging from 8.70 to 14.40 in the period. Most events corresponded to mental and behavioral disorders due to the use of psychotropic drugs. Most deaths (12,311) related to ADE codes were identified in several chapters of the ICD-10. Chapter XX, about adverse events, allowed the identification of a smaller number of deaths (4,893). Higher event rates were observed among individuals aged 60 years and over (39.8/1 million) and children younger than one year (22.0/1 million). The identification of ADE-related deaths on the SIM is an important strategy for addressing undesirable drug-related events. Deaths related to the use of psychotropic drugs were the most frequent ADE-related deaths and the elderly were the age group most affected by ADEs.