THE PREVALENCE OF DRUG–DRUG INTERACTIONS OF PRESCRIPTIONS DISPENSED IN COMMUNITY PHARMACIES IN NAJAF CITY-IRAQ

SAMER NOORI HASHIM; MOHAMMED JAWAD SALIH AL-HAIDAREY

doi:10.22159/ajpcr.2019.v12i9.32960

Authors

SAMER NOORI HASHIM Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Kufa, Kufa, Iraq.
MOHAMMED JAWAD SALIH AL-HAIDAREY Department of Ecology, University of Kufa, Kufa, Iraq.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22159/ajpcr.2019.v12i9.32960

Keywords:

Nil, Community pharmacy, Prescriptions

Abstract

Objectives: The main objectives of this work were to estimate the frequency, type, and nature of possible drug–drug interactions in prescriptions dispensed from community pharmacies in Al-Najaf city, secondary objectives were the study of the association between specialty of physicians and the rate of recurrence of drug–drug interactions and to determine medication classes, which were involved in possible drug–drug interactions.

Methods: To investigate this study, 211 prescriptions dispensed in three community pharmacies in Al-Najaf city were collected and by the computerized screening program to identify drug–drug interactions.

Results: The results showed that the total number of interactions was recognized to be 41% of all prescriptions with the prevalence of major drug– drug interactions was 14%, minor was 16%, and moderate was 70%.

Conclusions: This study concluded that most identified drug–drug interactions were recognized in prescriptions written by an internal medicine specialist, orthopedics, general practitioners, an ear-nose-throat specialist, and general surgeon. The ratio of drug–drug interactions/number of prescriptions increased with increasing the number of drugs prescribed per patient (r=0.93, regression p<0.05). This study suggested that the role of the pharmacist should be moved from medication-oriented to patient-oriented, and the clinical pharmacists should have a vital function in recognizing and avoiding drug–drug interactions in prescriptions dispensed to patients.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Bond CA, Raehl CL. Adverse drug reactions in United States hospitals. Pharmacotherapy 2006;26:601-8.

Merlo J, Liedholm H, Lindblad U, Björck-Linné A, Fält J, Lindberg G, et al. Prescriptions with potential drug interactions dispensed at Swedish pharmacies in January 1999: Cross sectional study. BMJ 2001;323:427 8.

Bjerrum L, Andersen M, Petersen G, Kragstrup J. Exposure to potential drug interactions in primary health care. Scand J Prim Health Care 2003;21:153-8.

Yanti E, Kristin E, Yasmina A. Potential drug interactions in hypertensive patients in Liwa district hospital, Lampung Barat, Indonesia. Int J Pharm Pharm Sci 2017;9:134-8.

Becker ML, Caspers PW, Kallewaard M, Bruinink RJ, Kylstra NB, Heisterkamp S, et al. Determinants of potential drug-drug interaction associated dispensing in community pharmacies in the Netherlands. Pharm World Sci 2007;29:51-7.

Tamargo J, Le Heuzey JY, Mabo P. Narrow therapeutic index drugs: A clinical pharmacological consideration to flecainide. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2015;71:549-67.

Kumar L. Pharmacovigilance/reporting adverse drug reactions: An approach to enhance health surveillance and extending market share by minimizing the chances of drug withdrawals. Int J Pharm Pharm Sci 2015;7:1-7.

Glassman PA, Simon B, Belperio P, Lanto A. Improving recognition of drug interactions: Benefits and barriers to using automated drug alerts. Med Care 2002;40:1161-71.

Chrischilles EA, Fulda TR, Byrns PJ, Winckler SC, Rupp MT, Chui MA, et al. The role of pharmacy computer systems in preventing medication errors. J Am Pharm Assoc (Wash) 2002;42:439-48.

Drug Interactions Checker. Denver CO: Cerner Multum Inc. Available from: https://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html.

Chatsisvili A, Sapounidis I, Pavlidou G, Zoumpouridou E, Karakousis VA, Spanakis M, et al. Potential drug-drug interactions in prescriptions dispensed in community pharmacies in Greece. Pharm World Sci 2010;32:187-93.

Sepehri G, Khazaelli P, Dahooie FA, Sepehri E, Dehghani MR. Prevalence of potential drug interactions in an Iranian general hospital. Indian J Pharm Sci 2012;74:75-9.

Obreli Neto PR, Nobili A, Marusic S, Pilger D, Guidoni CM, Baldoni Ade O, et al. Prevalence and predictors of potential drug-drug interactions in the elderly: A cross-sectional study in the Brazilian primary public health system. J Pharm Pharm Sci 2012;15:344-54.

Janchawee B, Wongpoowarak W, Owatranporn T, Chongsuvivatwong V. Pharmacoepidemiologic study of potential drug interactions in outpatients of a university hospital in Thailand. J Clin Pharm Ther 2005;30:13-20.

Hellbom E. Chlorpheniramine, selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and over-the-counter (OTC) treatment. Med Hypotheses 2006;66:689-90.

Astrand B, Montelius E, Petersson G, Ekedahl A. Assessment of eprescription quality, an observational study at three mail-order pharmacies. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2009;9:8.

Heikkilä T, Lekander T, Raunio H. Use of an online surveillance system for screening drug interactions in prescriptions in community pharmacies. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2006;62:661-5.

Tamblyn R, Huang A, Perreault R, Jacques A, Roy D, Hanley J. The medical office of the 21st century (MOXXI): Effectiveness of computerized decision-making support. Pharm World Sci 2010; 32:187 93.

Vonbach P, Dubied A, Krähenbühl S, Beer JH. Evaluation of frequently used drug interaction screening programs. Pharm World Sci 2008;30:367-74.