OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence of medication errors, adverse drug events (ADEs), and potential ADEs (poADEs) in patients 65 years of age and older. DESIGN: This is a retrospective cohort study (2011 to 2014). SETTING: The study was performed at a section 330 federally funded ambulatory health care center. PATIENTS: The study was a convenience sample selected in a nonrandomized way from event reports filed in those years. INTERVENTION: Data were collected through event reports and medical record review. Descriptive statistics and chi-square were employed to analyze data. RESULTS: During the study period, at least one medication error, poADE, or ADE report was documented in 170 out of 2,218 older patients (incidence: 12.5, 9.4, and 5.0 per 100 patient-years, respectively); 42.9% of ADEs were preventable. The chronic conditions most frequently related to ADEs were diabetes (18%), hypertension (18%), and hyperlipidemia (12%). The use of hypoglycemic agents was commonly associated with ADEs (14%; P = 0.001). An increased number of prescribed medications were significantly associated with all the adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Medication errors, poADEs, and ADEs are common in patients 65 years of age or older taking more than three medications. Almost half of the detected ADEs were preventable.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence of medication errors, adverse drug events (ADEs), and potential ADEs (poADEs) in patients 65 years of age and older. DESIGN: This is a retrospective cohort study (2011 to 2014). SETTING: The study was performed at a section 330 federally funded ambulatory health care center. PATIENTS: The study was a convenience sample selected in a nonrandomized way from event reports filed in those years. INTERVENTION: Data were collected through event reports and medical record review. Descriptive statistics and chi-square were employed to analyze data. RESULTS: During the study period, at least one medication error, poADE, or ADE report was documented in 170 out of 2,218 older patients (incidence: 12.5, 9.4, and 5.0 per 100 patient-years, respectively); 42.9% of ADEs were preventable. The chronic conditions most frequently related to ADEs were diabetes (18%), hypertension (18%), and hyperlipidemia (12%). The use of hypoglycemic agents was commonly associated with ADEs (14%; P = 0.001). An increased number of prescribed medications were significantly associated with all the adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Medication errors, poADEs, and ADEs are common in patients 65 years of age or older taking more than three medications. Almost half of the detected ADEs were preventable.
Authors: Lana J Sargent; Marissa Mackiewicz; Youssef Roman; Ana Diallo; Sally Russell; Katherine Falls; Kristin M Zimmerman; Dave L Dixon; Elizabeth Prom-Wormley; Sarah Hobgood; Sarah K Lageman; Faika Zanjani; Elvin T Price Journal: Clin Transl Sci Date: 2020-10-07 Impact factor: 4.689