Adverse drug reactions as a cause of admission to Hospital Josep Trueta: an epidemiological analysis

Abstract

Background. Any substance that is capable of producing a therapeutic effect can also produce unwanted or adverse effects, affecting any body system and having different clinical presentations. Adverse Drugs Reactions (ADRs) are defined as a “response to a medicinal product which is noxious and unintended” and they are considered to be one of the major public health problems because of their impact in terms of morbidity, mortality and economic cost. However, despite the great number of methods proposed, assessing the causal role of a drug in thr occurrence of an adverse medical event remains one of the most controversial issues. Objectives. To assess the prevalence of possible adverse drug reaction (ADR) as a reason of admission in Hospital Josep Trueta Emergency Department. Secondary objectives are to analyze the main factors, to identify the most common drugs implicated and to assess preventability and the patient’s outcome related to ADR emergency admissions in Hospital Josep Trueta. Methodology. Observational cross-sectional study performed in the Emergency Department of Hospital Josep Trueta. Prospective data from all suspected patients presenting an ADR as a reason of admission in the Emergency Department will be recorded for a posterior association assessment following WHO causality criteria. Information about age, gender, polypharmacy, preventability and the outcome will be also collected for further analysis