Background The knowledge concerning intravenous mixtures’ stability is important because their effectiveness and safety depends on it.

Purpose To evaluate a check of the replacement of the infusion bag in time, concerning dopamine and nitroglycerin to ensure their effectiveness and safety in different hospitalisation units.

Material and methods An observational prospective study was carried out during 3 months. Dopamine and nitroglycerin intravenous mixtures’ prescriptions were selected from a pharmacy electronic prescription program. From the pharmacy department an information sheet was sent to the hospitalisation units, where patients were treated with any of the mixtures, with the following information: patient identification, intravenous mixture prescribed and the text: ‘The stability of the mixture is 24 hour. Change the dilution every day at the same time.’

The variables studied were the infusion rate (<21 mL/h,>21 mL/h and=21 mL/h) and the time when the mixture was replaced. The information sources used were electronic medical files, nurse interviews and direct observation of the mixture.

Results Sixty prescriptions were studied: 48 mixtures were prescribed with an infusion rate of <21 mL/h, nine mixtures with 21 mL/h and three mixtures with >21 mL/h. Thirty of the 60 mixtures (50%) were changed every 24 hours, the rest were changed when the perfusion finished according to the infusion rate without considering the mixtures’ stability. Of the mixtures which were changed correctly: 70% were prescribed with an infusion rate of <21 mL/h; 20% with 21 mL/h; and 10% with >21 mL/h. On the other hand, the mixtures changed after the recommended time were prescribed with an infusion rate: 90% with <21 mL/h and 10% with 21 mL/h.

Conclusion The mixtures prescribed with an infusion rate of <21 mL/h led to a miscalculation of the time when the mixtures had to be changed correctly. Every mixture was changed at the right time when written and oral recommendations were given to the nursery. Therefore, it is necessary to give active and passive information about mixtures’ stability to ensure their effectiveness and safety.

References and/or acknowledgements Acknowledgements to the Congress.

No conflict of interest.