Objective:
To study the impact of educational intervention on the pattern
and incidence of potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs).
Method: All patients admitted to Internal Medicine wards of Manipal
Teaching Hospital during the study period were included. Patient
details were collected using a patient profile form and the datum
from the filled forms was analyzed using Micromedex electronic
database. An intervention was carried out through a presentation
during clinical meeting and personal discussion. The target groups
for the intervention included doctors and the nurses.
Results: Altogether 435 patients during preintervention and 445
during postintervention were studied. The incidence of potential
DDIs was 53% (preintervention) and 41% (postintervention) [chi-square
=11.27, p=0.001]. The average number of drugs per patient was
8.53 (pre-intervention) and 7.32 (post-intervention) [t=3.493,
p=0.001]. Sixty-four percent of the potential DDIs were of ‘Moderate’
type and 58% had a ‘Delayed’ onset in both the phases. Seventy
percent of the potential DDIs during the pre-intervention phase
and 61% during post-intervention phase had a ‘Good’ documentation
status. Pharmacokinetic mechanism accounted for 45% of the potential
DDIs during pre-intervention and 36% in the post-intervention
phase. Cardiovascular drugs accounted for 36% of the potential
DDIs during pre-intervention and 33.2% during post-intervention
phase. Furosemide was the high risk drug responsible for DDIs
in both phases. The most common potential DDIs observed were between
amlodipine and atenolol (4.82%) (preintervention) and frusemide
and aspirin (5.20%) (postintervention).
Conclusion: There was an association between potential DDIs and
age, sex, and polypharmacy.
