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High‐risk medicines associated with clinically relevant medication‐related problems in UK hospitals: A prospective observational study
Author(s) -
Geeson Cathy,
Wei Li,
Franklin Bryony Dean
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
british journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.216
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1365-2125
pISSN - 0306-5251
DOI - 10.1111/bcp.14119
Subject(s) - medicine , observational study , odds ratio , confidence interval , logistic regression , prospective cohort study , emergency medicine
The aim of this prospective observational study was to establish associations between the use of high‐risk medicine groups and the study outcome: occurrence of at least 1 moderate or severe preventable medication‐related problem. Data on medication‐related problems, high‐risk medicines, and other potential risk factors were collected from adults on medical wards in 2 UK hospitals. Logistic regression modelling was used to determine relationships between high‐risk medicines and the study outcome. Among 1503 eligible admissions, 6 high‐risk medicine groups were associated with the study outcome on univariable analysis; multivariable analysis found only systemic antimicrobials and epilepsy medicines to be independently associated with the outcome (adjusted odds ratio 1.44, 95% confidence interval 1.08–1.92 and adjusted odds ratio 1.61, 95% confidence interval 1.16–2.25 respectively). Identification of high‐risk medicine groups has potential to permit targeting of patients at highest risk of avoidable medication‐related harm, but multivariable analysis suggests risk is likely to be multifactorial.