EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL DRUG-DRUG INTERACTIONS IN INPATIENTS TREATED AT THE INTERNAL WARD

Edita Alili-Idrizi, Xhihana Saliu, Lulzime Ballazhi, Arlinda Haxhiu, Drita Havziu, Sihana Sulejmani

Abstract

Concomitant multiple-drug usage often increases therapeutic effectiveness steadily, but certain combinations may result in a higher risk of adverse effects or loss of effect due to drug-drug interactions. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence, severity, and characteristics of potential DDIs as well as identify the drugs most often associated with possible serious DDIs prescribed in hospitalized patients. A retrospective cross-sectional study data was collected from the medical charts of patients admitted in the internal ward based on the inclusion criteria. Potential drug-drug interaction was analyzed using the Drug Interactions Checker and the online drug register of the Republic of North Macedonia. Major potential DDIs accounted for 12.2% of the total number of interactions detected, while moderate potential DDIs and minor potential DDIs were 71.3 % and 16.5 % . Enoxaparin (23.8%), acetylsalicylic acid and clopidogrel (8.8%) were the three most involved drugs in major potential interactions. The three most frequently occurring serious potential DDIs were enoxaparin and acetylsalicylic acid (15.4%), while a combination of heparin and enoxaparin as well as, ketoprofen with enoxaparin accounts for 10.3% of these interactions. The indicators of this study can be useful as data to understand the extent of the problem and take measures to improve the practice of managing drug interactions.

Pages: 55 - 62