Impact of the implementation of vasoactive drug protocols on safety and efficacy in the treatment of critically ill patients

Summary What is known and objective The correct management of high‐alert medications is a priority issue in expert recommendations for improving the clinical safety of patients. Objectives were to assess the impact of the implementation of vasoactive drug ( VAD ) protocols on safety and efficacy in the treatment of critically ill patients. Methods A prospective before‐and‐after study on the implementation of different VAD protocols, comparing medication errors ( ME s) rates, mean intensive care unit ( ICU ) stay, mean blood pressure ( MAP ), heart rate ( HR ) and oxygen saturation. Results and discussion The study included 432 patients. There was a statistically significant decrease in prescribing errors (55·9%), validation errors (68·1%) and medication administration records ( MAR ) errors (78·8%). No differences were found between the two phases in ICU stay, MAP , HR and oxygen saturation. What is new and conclusion Implementation of protocols decreases variability in clinical practice, reduces the incidence of ME s and maintains the effectiveness of VAD therapy in critically ill patients.