Improving Prescribing Patterns for the Elderly Through an Online Drug Utilization Review Intervention: a system linking the physician, pharmacist, and computer
Article Abstract:
A pharmacy-based drug utilization review (DUR) alerting physicians to potential adverse drug reactions and inappropriate drug choices can improve the use of pharmaceuticals in elderly patients. Older patients take 30% of all medications prescribed, although they make up only 12% of the population. They can be more sensitive to adverse drug effects and interactions. Researchers evaluated the prescriptions of 23,269 patients 65 years of age and older for appropriateness and safety. The automated evaluation produced 43,007 drug alerts, of which 24,266 recommended a change in the drug or dosage. Physicians were informed, and about one-fourth of alerts resulted in a prescription change.
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 1998
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Meta-analysis and Epidemiologic Studies in Drug Development and Postmarketing Surveillance
Article Abstract:
Meta-analysis and epidemiologic studies can be used to identify the strengths and weaknesses of drugs. Meta-analysis is used to combine the results of individual studies so the data can be analyzed as if it were a single study. However, this method is limited by the quality of the individual studies and how well they match other studies. This technique can be used to evaluate drugs. The FDA relies on doctors' reports of adverse drug reactions. Many are also published as case studies in journals. However, it is harder to identify reactions that occur after years of use. Epidemiologic studies might be better for these kinds of reactions.
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 1999
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Incidence of adverse drug reactions in hospitalized patients: a meta-analysis of prospective studies
Article Abstract:
Adverse drug reactions (ADR) may be a major cause of death in hospitalized patients. Researchers analyzed 39 studies of ADRs in hospital patients done over a 32-year period. They included patients admitted to a hospital because of an ADR as well as those who had an ADR while they were in a hospital. Overall, 7% of the patients experienced a serious ADR and 0.32% experienced a fatal ADR. Based on these figures, an estimated 2 million hospital patients had a serious ADR in 1994 and about 100,000 had a fatal ADR. This places ADRs among the top 10 causes of death.
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 1998
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
- Abstracts: Doorstep Walks: an evaluation of the impact of a low cost intervention to assist primary health care teams in promoting physical activity
- Abstracts: High ideals. Paternalistic intervention in mental health care. Italian ideals: Italy pioneered care in the community for people with mental health problems. What can UK nurses learn from their Italian colleagues?
- Abstracts: Effect of the Vaccines for Children program on inner-city neighborhood physicians
- Abstracts: Interaction of anti-HIV protease inhibitors with the multidrug transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in human cultured cells
- Abstracts: Creative educational strategies for health promotion. Health promotion and schizophrenia: the year 2000 and beyond