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Adverse drug reactions in medical inpatients
Archives of Disease in Childhood
|June 1, 1984
Insights
Adverse drug reactions affected 5.6% of children on general medical wards. Preventable reactions occurred in 6 children, with anticonvulsants being the most frequent cause.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric pharmacology
- Clinical drug safety
Background:
- Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are a significant concern in pediatric healthcare.
- Understanding the incidence and causes of ADRs in hospitalized children is crucial for improving patient safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of definite or probable adverse drug reactions in children admitted to a general medical ward.
- To identify the causes and preventability of these adverse drug reactions.
Main Methods:
- Prospective review of 268 children admitted to a general medical ward.
- Assessment of all treatments received and documentation of any adverse drug reactions.
- Categorization of ADRs by severity and preventability.
Main Results:
- Fifteen out of 268 children (5.6%) experienced a definite or probable adverse drug reaction.
- Six of the identified adverse drug reactions were deemed preventable.
- Anticonvulsant medications were identified as the most common cause of adverse drug reactions in this cohort.
Conclusions:
- Adverse drug reactions represent a notable risk for children in general medical wards.
- A significant proportion of these reactions are preventable, highlighting the need for improved medication safety practices.
- Targeted interventions focusing on anticonvulsant use may reduce the incidence of pediatric adverse drug reactions.
Abstract:
Fifteen of 268 children admitted to a general medical ward suffered a definite or probable adverse drug reaction to their treatment. In 6 of these children the reactions were preventable. Anticonvulsants were the most common cause of an adverse reaction.