Resumen de Drug-drug interactions in general ward in an iranian hospital and clinical pharmacists’ intervention: A cross-sectional study

Najafi Vosough Sepideh, Firozeh Sajedi, Mojdeh Mohamm Adi, Younes Mohamm Adi, Sara Ataei

• Background: The essential aim of this study is evaluation of drug-drug interactions (DDI) in the general ward and importance of clinical pharmacist interventions in identifying and reducing the DDI as well as advice to monitoring of patients in the case of predictable DDI.

  Method: This cross-sectional study was guided in the general ward of one referral hospital in Hamadan, west of Iran during a second six months of 2019. 224 patients who were admitted and received at least two medications concurrenty, were entered in this study. In the daily visit of patients by medical team, DDI were checked according to Lexi-Interact software (Lexi-Comp Inc., USA, 2019) by clinical pharmacist. In cases of significant or crucial DDI (class D or X) and noticeable DDI (class C), clinical pharmacist interventions were performed.

  Results: We detected 507 DDI in 205 patients. 81.9% of interactions were (class C), and 17% were (class D and X). The most frequent DDI was between heparin and aspirin. Risk rating and severity of this interaction were class D and Moderate. The number of drugs that patients used during hospitalization increased the probability of DDI and this was included as a risk factor for expanding a drug interaction and another risk factor was underlying disorders in patients.

  Conclusions: In the general ward because of taking multiple medications, the probability of DDI increases. DDI can cause more problems in patients, so we can decrease this by presence of a clinical pharmacist in this ward. Clinical pharmacist can play a crucial role in the alleviating of DDI happening, so existence of clinical pharmacist in this ward can be effective in reduction of these interactions