Adverse Drug Reaction-Related Hospitalizations in Elderly Australians: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study in Two Tasmanian Hospitals
© 2017, Springer International Publishing Switzerland. Introduction: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) have been commonly cited as a major cause of hospital admissions in older individuals. However, despite the apparent magnitude of this problem, there are limited prospective data on ADRs as a cause of...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Adis International Ltd.
2017
|
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/58354 |
| _version_ | 1848760238615822336 |
|---|---|
| author | Parameswaran Nair, N. Stafford, Leanne Bereznicki, B. Curtain, C. Peterson, G. Connolly, M. Bereznicki, L. |
| author_facet | Parameswaran Nair, N. Stafford, Leanne Bereznicki, B. Curtain, C. Peterson, G. Connolly, M. Bereznicki, L. |
| author_sort | Parameswaran Nair, N. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | © 2017, Springer International Publishing Switzerland. Introduction: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) have been commonly cited as a major cause of hospital admissions in older individuals. However, despite the apparent magnitude of this problem, there are limited prospective data on ADRs as a cause of hospitalization in elderly medical patients. Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the proportion, clinical characteristics, causality, severity, preventability, and outcome of ADR-related admissions in older patients admitted to two Tasmanian hospitals. Methods: We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study at the Royal Hobart and Launceston General Hospitals in Tasm ania, Australia. A convenience sample of patients, aged 65 years and older, undergoing unplanned overnight medical admissions was screened. ADR-related admissions were determined through expert consensus from detailed review of medical records and patient interviews. The causality, preventability and severity of each ADR-related admission were assessed. Results: Of 1008 admissions, the proportion of potential ADR-related medical admissions was 18.9%. Most (88.5%) ADR-related admissions were considered preventable. Cardiovascular complaints (29.3%) represented the most common ADRs, followed by neuropsychiatric (20.0%) and renal and genitourinary disorders (15.2%). The most frequently implicated drug classes were diuretics (23.9%), agents acting on the renin angiotensin system (16.4%), ß-blocking agents (7.1%), antidepressants (6.9%), and antithrombotic agents (6.9%). Application of the Naranjo algorithm found 5.8% definite, 70.1% probable, and 24.1% possible ADRs. ADR severity was rated moderate and severe in 97.9% and 2.1% of admissions, respectively. For most (93.2%) ADR-related admissions the ADR resolved and the patient recovered. Conclusion: Hospitalization due to an ADR is a common occurrence in this older population. There is need for future studies to implement and evaluate interventions to reduce the risk of ADR-related admissions in elderly populations. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:12:36Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-58354 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:12:36Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Adis International Ltd. |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-583542017-11-24T05:46:57Z Adverse Drug Reaction-Related Hospitalizations in Elderly Australians: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study in Two Tasmanian Hospitals Parameswaran Nair, N. Stafford, Leanne Bereznicki, B. Curtain, C. Peterson, G. Connolly, M. Bereznicki, L. © 2017, Springer International Publishing Switzerland. Introduction: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) have been commonly cited as a major cause of hospital admissions in older individuals. However, despite the apparent magnitude of this problem, there are limited prospective data on ADRs as a cause of hospitalization in elderly medical patients. Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the proportion, clinical characteristics, causality, severity, preventability, and outcome of ADR-related admissions in older patients admitted to two Tasmanian hospitals. Methods: We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study at the Royal Hobart and Launceston General Hospitals in Tasm ania, Australia. A convenience sample of patients, aged 65 years and older, undergoing unplanned overnight medical admissions was screened. ADR-related admissions were determined through expert consensus from detailed review of medical records and patient interviews. The causality, preventability and severity of each ADR-related admission were assessed. Results: Of 1008 admissions, the proportion of potential ADR-related medical admissions was 18.9%. Most (88.5%) ADR-related admissions were considered preventable. Cardiovascular complaints (29.3%) represented the most common ADRs, followed by neuropsychiatric (20.0%) and renal and genitourinary disorders (15.2%). The most frequently implicated drug classes were diuretics (23.9%), agents acting on the renin angiotensin system (16.4%), ß-blocking agents (7.1%), antidepressants (6.9%), and antithrombotic agents (6.9%). Application of the Naranjo algorithm found 5.8% definite, 70.1% probable, and 24.1% possible ADRs. ADR severity was rated moderate and severe in 97.9% and 2.1% of admissions, respectively. For most (93.2%) ADR-related admissions the ADR resolved and the patient recovered. Conclusion: Hospitalization due to an ADR is a common occurrence in this older population. There is need for future studies to implement and evaluate interventions to reduce the risk of ADR-related admissions in elderly populations. 2017 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/58354 10.1007/s40264-017-0528-z Adis International Ltd. restricted |
| spellingShingle | Parameswaran Nair, N. Stafford, Leanne Bereznicki, B. Curtain, C. Peterson, G. Connolly, M. Bereznicki, L. Adverse Drug Reaction-Related Hospitalizations in Elderly Australians: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study in Two Tasmanian Hospitals |
| title | Adverse Drug Reaction-Related Hospitalizations in Elderly Australians: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study in Two Tasmanian Hospitals |
| title_full | Adverse Drug Reaction-Related Hospitalizations in Elderly Australians: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study in Two Tasmanian Hospitals |
| title_fullStr | Adverse Drug Reaction-Related Hospitalizations in Elderly Australians: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study in Two Tasmanian Hospitals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Adverse Drug Reaction-Related Hospitalizations in Elderly Australians: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study in Two Tasmanian Hospitals |
| title_short | Adverse Drug Reaction-Related Hospitalizations in Elderly Australians: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study in Two Tasmanian Hospitals |
| title_sort | adverse drug reaction-related hospitalizations in elderly australians: a prospective cross-sectional study in two tasmanian hospitals |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/58354 |