Use of tracking drugs for the search of intra-hospital adverse reactions: a pharmacovigilance study

Abstract

ObjectiveTo estimate the incidence of potential in-hospital adverse reactions with the use of alert drugs in a general hospital in southern Brazil. MethodCross-sectional study, carried out in a hospital in southern Brazil. The electronic medical records (TASY®) of patients hospitalized between January and August 2020, who were prescribed one of the drugs earmarked for tracking adverse drug reactions, were evaluated: the drugs included flumazenil, fexofenadine hydrochloride, naloxone, promethazine, diphenhydramine and loperamide. ResultsA total of 13,476 medical records were reviewed and 204 (1.5%) were included in the study in which tracker use was indicated in the management of adverse drug reactions. In this study a total of 18 different signs or symptoms were found in medical records, with pruritus/hypere-mia/urticaria being the most reported symptoms (n = 76). Among the drug classes that caused most adverse drug reactions, opioids were the most mentioned (n = 44). It should be noted that in 49 medical records the information on which drug caused the adverse events was not reported. Regarding the cause of hospitalization of patients who used screening drugs, cancer was the most frequent (n = 37). ConclusionsThis study indicates that the use of trackers can be a tool to estimate the occurrence of adverse drug reactions and to establish adverse events related to the use of medications, which should be reported to the pharmacovigilance service, with a view to patient safety.