Monitoring of adverse drug reactions among hospitalized patients in a psychiatry hospital contribute to patient safety
Asma A Alhindi
Royal Hospital, Oman
: J Nurs Patient Care
Abstract
Background: An Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) is undesirable effect of medications that occur during routine clinical use. Adverse drug reaction is a worldwide health problem affecting quality of patient safety in all healthcare settings. Psychiatric hospitals will not differ from other general hospital in experiencing adverse drug reactions due to psychotropic medications. Antidepressants, antipsychotics and mood stabilizers are the major psychotropic agents associated with ADR. Antidepressants and antipsychotics in many studies accounted for approximately 90% of all ADR. The incidence of ADR in hospitalized psychiatric patients is not only frequent, but also highly preventable Objectives: The crucial objective of present study is to improve patient safety and compliance toward psychotropic medications and highlight the role of clinical pharmacist in ADR management. In addition, this study helps to create awareness about the importance of introducing hospital-based ADR reporting and analyzing system. Research Method: The research is an observational study for monitoring of adverse drug reactions related to psychotropic medications in a tertiary hospital. The study carried out in clinical pharmacy department in Almasarra Hospital and encompassed inpatients admitted in period between September 2020 and September 2021 and who were prescribed psychotropic medications. The outcome variables include assessment of ADR using monitoring scales for ADR. The software EXCEL is used for data collection and analysis. Results: An initial result showed total of 506 patients was screened for ADR. At least one ADR has been reported in 235 patients among them 134 males and 92 females. There were 25 different types of ADR mostly metabolic syndromes and extrapyramidal side effects due to antipsychotic drugs. Assessment of causality, severity, and preventability showed that most of ADRs were unpreventable. Conclusion: Developing an ADR internal reporting and analyzing system in a hospital can provide useful information and statistics regarding potential side effects associated with medications use.
Biography
Asma A Alhindi has done Clinical Pharmacist. She started as pharmacist with a Bachelor certificate in pharmacy at Oman medical college in 2011 then after six years qualified by a Master certificate in clinical pharmacy service development at Robert Gordon University Aberdeen Scotland. She has more than 10 years’ experience in Psychiatry Tertiary Hospital Almasarra Hospital worked as team in ensuring safe use of medications and patient safety. She joined early this year to Royal hospital clinical pharmacy to continue providing care to the patients and work as team for more effective safe pharmaceutical practice. She is participating as focal point in WHO patient safety program in the hospital.
