ED Drug-Drug Interactions: Frequency & Type, Potential & Actual, Triage & Discharge

Design and setting: This was a retrospective review of 1355 charts available from patient visits during a two-week period at a tertiary care university hospital. Measurements and main results: A total of 1435 potential and 14 actual drug interactions were identified from current medications recorded at triage, 30% of which were due to drug-drug interactions. There were an additional 450 potential and no actual interactions with drugs given or prescribed in the ED. The most frequent classes of medications implicated in potential drug-drug interactions were NSAIDs, beta-blockers, steroids, ACE inhibitors, and anticoagulants.