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  • A pharmacovigilance project in ‘San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona’ – Salerno University Hospital (Italy): hospital pharmacist in department increases pharmacovigilance activity

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General and Risk Management, Patient Safety (including: medication errors, quality control)
A pharmacovigilance project in ‘San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona’ – Salerno University Hospital (Italy): hospital pharmacist in department increases pharmacovigilance activity
  1. N. Ciociano,
  2. F.A. Aliberti,
  3. L. Grisi,
  4. M.G. Elberti,
  5. M. Alfieri,
  6. M. Pacillo,
  7. F. Romano,
  8. G.M. Lombardi
  1. 1Università degli Studi di Salerno, Scuola di Specializzazione in Farmacia Ospedaliera, Fisciano (Salerno), Italy
  2. 2Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria ‘S.Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona’, Farmacia Interna, Salerno, Italy

Abstract

Background ‘MEREAFaPS Project’ is a pharmacovigilance project started in Italy in 2006 with the aim of introduce pharmacists in Emergency Division to collect data on adverse drug reactions (ADR) admissions. In April 2010, Salerno University Hospital joined ‘MEREAFaPS Project’: a pharmacist reports and supports physician to indentify ADR in Emergency Division.

Purpose The aim of the study is to know if the presence of pharmacist in a department contributes to increase quality and quantity of pharmacovigilance activity.

Materials and methods ADR report forms made in the first 9 months of the project (April-December 2010) were analysed. Some key principles of them were collected: sex; suspected drug which caused reaction and other drugs took in association; description of ADR and their classification in severe, non-severe, life-threatening. They were compared with ADR data of 2009.

Results 86 forms were analysed, each related to one different patient: 58 patients were woman (67%). 47% of the events were connected to antibiotics, as amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (16 cases), penicillin (13 cases), cephalosporins (11 cases); 35% interested anti-inflammatory as nimesulide (21% of these), propionic acid derivatives (21%), acetylsalicylic acid (14%), ketorolac (11%), steroidal anti-inflammatory (7%). 48 patients didn't take other drugs, but 38 took another one. Skin reactions were 49% of events, while 12% were cardiovascular events, 12% gastrointestinal problems, and 10% were respiratory reactions. ADR not severe were 72%; 28% were severe and 1 case life-threatening. Before the project, in 2009 there was only one ADR report; zero in period January–March 2010.

Conclusions It is evident that the presence of pharmacist in emergency division is an useful tool to increase the number of ADR reports: data confirms that a pharmacist who supports medical staff to signalling ADR should be operative in all hospital departments. However it is necessary an additional analysis on drugs dosages, cases that took another drugs, and their correlation with ADR.

https://doi.org/10.1136/ejhpharm-2012-000074.88

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