Table 4 Some examples of DRPs among geriatric patients admitted from April to July to Medical and Surgical wards of JUMC, Ethiopia, 2017
Drug related problem | Category of DRPs | Description |
|---|---|---|
A patient in the age range of 60–70 was admitted to surgical ward with the diagnosis of breast cancer. After one side mastectomy was done, the patient was prescribed with Tamoxifen 20 mg po daily. | Untreated indication | Patient complained severe pain which is 8/10. However, the pain was not treated. Patient has untreated indication and needs morphine 2.5 mg every four hour. |
A patient in the age range of 60–70 was admitted to internal medicine ward with the diagnosis of ischemic heart disease (NST Elevated myocardial infarction). The patient was prescribed with Simvastatin 40 mg | Suboptimal effect of drug treatment | High intensity statins are required for patients with NSTEMI. Simvastatin 40 mg is medium intensity statin. Thus, it will have suboptimal effect. Therefore, we recommended Atorvasatin 80 mg. |
A patient in the age range of 70–80 admitted with the diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease. After admission the patient prescribed with warfarin 5 mg and Heparin 12,500 IU | No effect of drug treatment (Warfarin and Heparin) Untreated indication | Warfarin and Heparin have no effect on peripheral arterial. Patient needs Atorvastatin and Aspirin to treat his condition. |
Known cardiac patient in the age of 80–90 was admitted to internal medicine ward. The patient was taking aspirin and lost around 3 l of blood. | Adverse drug event (possibly) occurred | Aspirin was considered the offensive drug and discontinued for 07 days. The bleeding stopped after aspirin was discontinued. Based on Naranjo scale the bleeding is possibly due to Aspirin. |