%0 Journal Article
%T Evaluation of the prevalence and economic burden of adverse drug reactions presenting to the medical emergency department of a tertiary referral centre: a prospective study
%A KJ Patel
%A MS Kedia
%A D Bajpai
%A SS Mehta
%A NA Kshirsagar
%A NJ Gogtay
%J BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology
%D 2007
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1472-6904-7-8
%X A prospective, observational study of adult patients carried out over a 6 week period in 2005. The prevalence of ADRs, their economic burden from the hospital perspective, severity, and preventability were assessed using standard criteria.A total 6899 patients presented during the study period. Of these, 2046 were admitted for various reasons. A total of 265/6899 patients had ADRs (3.84 %). A total of 141/265 was admitted due to ADsR, and thus ADRs as a cause of admissions were 6.89% of total admissions. A majority (74.71%) were found to be of moderate severity. The most common ADRs were anti-tubercular drug induced hepatotoxicity, warfarin toxicity and chloroquine induced gastritis. The median duration of hospitalization was 5 days [95% CI 5.37, 7.11], and the average hospitalization cost incurred per patient was INR 6197/- (USD 150). Of total ADRs, 59.62% (158/265) were found to be either definitely or potentially avoidable.The study shows that ADRs leading to hospitalization are frequent and constitute a significant economic burden. Training of patients and prescribers may lead to a reduction in hospitalization due to avoidable ADRs and thus lessen their economic burden.Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) are a major problem worldwide and are one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in health care facilities worldwide. A landmark study by Lazarou et al found ADRs to be the fourth to sixth leading cause of death in the United States and serious ADRs accounted for 6.7% of hospitalized admissions. [1] A study by Ramesh et al in India carried out in a tertiary referral center in South India showed that admissions due to ADRs accounted for 0.7% of total admissions and deaths due to ADRs accounted for 1.8% of total ADRs. [2] The study also showed that the average cost involved in treating these ADRs was INR 690/- (USD 15$) per patient. Many such studies were either limited to individual units such as geriatric care [3,4] or were carried out retrospectively [5,6].
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6904/7/8