Table 4.
Drugs causing adverse drug reactions
| Drug group/drug | No (%) of cases | Individual drugs | Adverse reactions |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSAIDs | 363 (29.6) | Aspirin (218), diclofenac (52), ibuprofen (34), rofecoxib (33), celecoxib (8), ketoprofen (6) naproxen (5) | GI bleeding, peptic ulceration, haemorrhagic cerebrovascular accident, renal impairment, wheezing, rash |
| Diuretics | 334 (27.3) | Furosemide (128), bendroflumethiazide (103), bumetanide (43), spironolactone (37), amiloride (19), metolazone (11), indapamide (6) | Renal impairment, hypotension, electrolyte disturbances, gout |
| Warfarin | 129 (10.5) | — | GI bleeding, haematuria, high INR, haematoma |
| ACE inhibitors/All receptor antagonists | 94 (7.7) | Ramipril (28), enalaparil (25), captopril (12), lisinopril (9), irbesartan (6), losartan (5), perindopril (4) | Renal impairment, hypotension, electrolyte disturbance, angioedema |
| Antidepressants | 87 (7.1) | Fluoxetine (17), paroxetine (14), amitriptyline (13), citalopram (9), lithium (8), venlafaxine (8) dosulepin (7), | Confusion, hypotension, constipation, GI bleed, hyponataemia |
| β blockers | 83 (6.8) | Atenolol (69), propranolol (6), sotalol (3), bisoprolol (2), metoprolol (2), carvedilol (1) | Bradycardia, heart block, hypotension, wheezing |
| Opiates | 73 (6.0) | Morphine (20), dihydrocodeine (20), co-codamol (8), tramadol (8), co-dydramol (6), fentanyl (5) | Constipation, vomiting, confusion, urinary retention |
| Digoxin | 36 (2.9) | — | Symptomatic toxic digoxin levels |
| Prednisolone | 31 (2.5) | — | Gastritis, GI bleeding, hyperglycaemia, osteoporotic fracture |
| Clopidogrel | 29 (2.4) | — | GI bleeding |
GI=gastrointestinal, INR=international normalised ratio.