Table 2.
High-alert medications involved, severity and preventability of adverse drug events (ADEs) detected
| High-alert medications involved | ADEs detected* n=158 (%) |
Severity score† | Preventability of ADEs | ||||
| E | F | G | H | Yes, n=94 (59.5%) | No, n=64 (40.5%) | ||
| Corticosteroids | 38 (24.1%) | 37 | 1 | – | – | 21 | 17 |
| Loop diuretics | 30 (19.0%) | 27 | 3 | – | – | 15 | 15 |
| Opioid analgesics | 26 (16.5%) | 23 | 2 | 1 | – | 21 | 5 |
| Anticoagulants oral | 21 (13.3%) | 15 | 6 | – | – | 16 | 5 |
| Antipsychotics | 14 (8.9%) | 13 | 1 | – | – | 9 | 5 |
| Spironolactone/eplerenone | 9 (5.7%) | 9 | – | – | – | 3 | 6 |
| Antiplatelets (including aspirin) | 7 (4.4%) | 3 | 4 | – | – | 2 | 5 |
| Benzodiazepines and analogues | 7 (4.4%) | 7 | – | – | – | 7 | -- |
| Insulins | 5 (3.2%) | 3 | 1 | – | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| β-Adrenergic blockers | 3 (1.9%) | 3 | – | – | – | -- | 3 |
| Oral hypoglycaemic drugs | 2 (1.3%) | – | 2 | – | – | 1 | 1 |
| Digoxin | 2 (1.3%) | 2 | – | – | – | 2 | -- |
| Antiepileptics (narrow therapeutic range) | 1 (0.6%) | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | -- |
| Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs | 1 (0.6%) | 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Immunosuppressants | 1 (0.6%) | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | -- |
| Total | 167 | 144 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 102 | 65 |
*In some cases, more than one drug is involved in one ADE.
†NCCMERP level of harm. E: temporary harm to the patient and required intervention; F: temporary harm to the patient and required initial or prolonged hospitalization; G: permanent patient harm; H:intervention necessary to sustain life.