Table 1. Classifying Potential High-Risk Medications and Medication Errors by Drug Category.
Drug Category |
n (Medications) |
% (Total medications) |
n (Errors) |
% (Total errors) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cardiovascular |
175 |
39 |
101 |
39 |
Hypoglycemic |
58 |
13 |
40 |
15 |
CNS medications |
44 |
10 |
24 |
9 |
Antiplatelet (aspirin) |
39 |
9 |
23 |
9 |
Anticoagulant |
17 |
4 |
12 |
5 |
NSAIDs |
13 |
3 |
5 |
2 |
Corticosteroid (systemic) |
7 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
Antibiotic |
12 |
3 |
6 |
2 |
NTI |
7 |
2 |
5 |
2 |
Antiarrhythmic |
3 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
Cytostatic |
3 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
Immunosuppressant |
4 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
Antiretroviral |
6 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
Anti-rheumatic |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
PIM CNS |
22 |
5 |
10 |
4 |
PIM Fall/Fracture |
15 |
3 |
9 |
3 |
PIM PPI |
12 |
3 |
6 |
2 |
PIM Anticholinergic |
7 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
PIM Endocrine |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
PIM Antiplatelet |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
PIM Electrolyte |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
PIM Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Total HR Medications |
448 |
100 |
261 |
100 |
Abbreviations used: NSAIDs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; CNS, central nervous system; NTI, narrow therapeutic index drugs; PIM, potentially inappropriate medication; PPI, proton-pump inhibitor
CNS: Medications that affect the central nervous system without fall risk. Includes opioids, benzodiazepines, and first/second generation antipsychotics
Hypoglycemic: Insulin and sulfonylureas
NTI: Narrow therapeutic index medications
Endocrine: Includes thyroid, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone hormone medications
PIM CNS: Includes Adult CNS medications + antiepileptics, antidepressants, z-hypnotics, skeletal muscle relaxants, and meprobamate
PIM Fall/Fracture: Medications that affect the central nervous system and are associated with increased fall risk. Includes vasodilators, heral alpha blockers, and dipyridamole
PIM Electrolyte: Includes desmopressin and stimulant laxatives
PIM Other: Includes metoclopramide, mineral oil, and megestrol