BACKGROUND: Emergency units are one of the main access roads to the hospital for the elderly people. Research on adverse drug related events therefore find a field of study previligie. aim: To analyze the part of iatrogenic event in the emergency consultation of elderly people, and identify class of drug responsible. METHODS: We conducted a prospective chart review on treatments and potentials adverse drug-related events on all elderly patient consecutively presented in emergency unit of Ben Arous hospital in August 2008. We conducted a comparative study between: adverse drug related group and no adverse drug related group. RESULTS: Two hundred one elderly patients were prospectively included. Eighty -four per cent are medicated. The number of medications consumed ranged between 0 to 11 and averaged 2, 85 drugs. Adverse drug related events accounted in 28 cases (16, 5%).There were no difference in demographic characteristic and drugs consumed between the two groups. However the treatments were recently modified more frequently in adverse drug related group.Drugs more frequently associated with adverse events were no steroidal anti-inflammatory in 37% cases and Anti vitamin K or warfarine in 20% cases. Patients of drug related events group need more prescription modification at discharge. CONCLUSIONS: We note polymedication in frail elderly patients presented to emergency unit. Adverse drug related events were frequent and favorised by recent modified prescription.
BACKGROUND: Emergency units are one of the main access roads to the hospital for the elderly people. Research on adverse drug related events therefore find a field of study previligie. aim: To analyze the part of iatrogenic event in the emergency consultation of elderly people, and identify class of drug responsible. METHODS: We conducted a prospective chart review on treatments and potentials adverse drug-related events on all elderly patient consecutively presented in emergency unit of Ben Arous hospital in August 2008. We conducted a comparative study between: adverse drug related group and no adverse drug related group. RESULTS: Two hundred one elderly patients were prospectively included. Eighty -four per cent are medicated. The number of medications consumed ranged between 0 to 11 and averaged 2, 85 drugs. Adverse drug related events accounted in 28 cases (16, 5%).There were no difference in demographic characteristic and drugs consumed between the two groups. However the treatments were recently modified more frequently in adverse drug related group.Drugs more frequently associated with adverse events were no steroidal anti-inflammatory in 37% cases and Anti vitamin K or warfarine in 20% cases. Patients of drug related events group need more prescription modification at discharge. CONCLUSIONS: We note polymedication in frail elderly patients presented to emergency unit. Adverse drug related events were frequent and favorised by recent modified prescription.