https://doi.org/10.51514/JSTR.7.2.2025.7-16
Ashok Kumar, Praveen Kumar Ashok, Deepak Nanda and Abhishek Gupta
ABSTRACT
Patient safety is seriously threatened by adverse drug reactions (ADRs), which raise morbidity, mortality, and medical costs. The objective of this 18-month prospective observational study was to assess the prevalence, characteristics, risk factors, and economic consequences of ADRs in the medical wards of Government Doon Medical College and Hospital (GDMCH), Dehradun, between February 2023 and July 2024. The incidence of ADRs was 7.08% among 3,036 hospitalized patients. The predominant drug classes implicated were cardiovascular agents (30%), anti-infective (28%), and alimentary/metabolism agents (19%), with furosemide, ceftriaxone, and amlodipine frequently engaged. Gastrointestinal disorders constituted 34.88% of the reported ADRs, followed by metabolic issues at 14.41% and dermatological problems at 10.23%. According the Rawlins and Thompson classification, 90% of reactions were classified as Type A, whereas 10% were Type B.
52% were categorized as “possible,” 46% as “probable,” and 2% as “definite,” according to the Naranjo scale. Only 1% of ADRs were categorized as severe, with the majority being mild (51%) or moderate (48%). Major factors contributing to risk encompassed older age, polypharmacy, multiple diseases, and prolonged hospitalizations. The overall economic impact amounted to ₹355,312, with an average of ₹2,307 per patient. These findings underscore the necessity for enhanced pharmacovigilance, the engagement of clinical pharmacists, the implementation of computerized prescribing, and improved clinician training to mitigate ADRs and associated expenses.
Keywords: ADRs, Economic Burden, Pharmacovigilance, Tertiary Care, Polypharmacy, Naranjo Scale, Hospital Stay, Medication Safety etc.
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