ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL DRUG INTERACTIONS AMONG HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS AT THE CARDIAC AND PULMONARY DEPARTMENTS IN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITALS

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the potential drug interactions among hospitalized patients in cardiac and pulmonary wards in three tertiary care hospitals.Methods: A prospective, observational study was carried out for 12 months. A sample of 1150 patients were assessed for potential drug-drug interactions (pDDIs) using Micromedex®- 2.7 and Drugs.com.Results: A total of 1150 patients were analyzed, and it was found that 685 were cardiac and 465 were pulmonary patients. The study identified 524 (76.49%) cardiac patients and 345 (74.19%) pulmonary patients, with pDDIs higher in male cardiac (298 [56.87%]) and male pulmonary (199 [57.68%]) patients, compared to females. Incidences of pDDIs were found to be higher in the age group of 60–70 years in cardiac (193 [36.83%]) and pulmonary (146 [42.31%]) patients and incidences of interactions based on duration of 4–6 days' hospital stays in cardiac were 380 (72.53%) and 215 (62.31%) in pulmonary patients, respectively. Moreover, 51.90% of cardiac patients and 56.52% of pulmonary patients were found to be prescribed with more number of drugs (cardiac 7 drugs and pulmonary 5–6 drugs) causing higher incidences of pDDIs. Some of the most common drug interacting pair was aspirin and clopidogrel combination observed in 245 cardiac patients, whereas in the pulmonary department, it was ranitidine-theophylline combination with a frequency of 195 pDDIs. Drug-food interactions were found with atorvastatin–citrus fruits in cardiac and theophylline–caffeine in pulmonary patients. The most common drug-disease interaction was found to be isosorbide dinitrate–myocardial infarction in cardiac and diazepam–COPD in pulmonary, respectively.Conclusion: Pharmacists must take responsibility in the monitoring of drug interactions and notifying the physician and patient about potential problems. With their detailed knowledge of drugs, pharmacists have the ability to relate unexpected symptoms experienced by patients to possible adverse effects of their drug therapy