European journal of hospital pharmacy : science and practice最新文献

Background: Medication dispensing errors cause wastage of medicines and increase healthcare costs, with serious consequences for patients. However, few studies have systematically and completely reviewed dispensing errors, with inadequate attention to the objective regularity and risk factors for dispensing errors.

Objectives: To explore the potential causes and risk factors influencing the prevalence of medication dispensing errors.

Methods: We collected patient-reported medication dispensing errors from a large tertiary care hospital in South China over 11 years. We assessed the characteristics of dispensing errors, labelled the causes, compared them with more than 25 million prescriptions from 2012 to 2022, identified the susceptibility factors for the occurrence of dispensing errors, and analysed the characteristics and patterns of the errors.

Results: A total of 376 patient-reported dispensing errors were recorded. It took an average of 5.2 days for a patient to find an error. Only 37.5% of errors were reviewed by the patient within 24 hours. These errors directly contributed to a medication loss of US$188 406. Of the 160 recorded pharmacists, 112 (70%) committed dispensing errors. Dispensing errors were affected by the pharmacists' use of the machine, workload and the length of monthly vacation. Of the dispensing errors, 47.9% (n=180) were caused by medication packaging or names that were similar. Antibiotics (n=32, 8.5%) were the most common types of drugs dispensed incorrectly, and traditional Chinese medicines (n=31, 8.2%) and immunosuppressants (n=21, 5.6%) were the most likely to be dispensed in inaccurate quantities.

Conclusions: Organising adequate staff and using machines to prepare medicines may be necessary to reduce dispensing errors. When pharmacists have been away from work for more than 72 hours they should find their rhythm in other positions before dispensing medicines. It is more important to prioritise the differentiation of medicines with similar packaging over those with similar names when arranging drug shelving.

Changes in absorption and bioavailability of drugs have been described after bariatric surgery, especially shortly after the procedure. When a significant drug-drug interaction also occurs, it is difficult to predict the final combined effect of the surgery and the interaction. In this article, we present a case report of a patient with chronic psychiatric poly-medication including carbamazepine, a strong cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) inducer. Significant changes in serum drug concentrations were observed during the 6 months after the surgery, including increased levels of quetiapine and trazodone, that cannot be attributed to the post-surgical alteration of absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. The influence of fluctuating carbamazepine levels on concomitant medication seemed to outweigh the effect of reduced absorption after surgery. This report highlights the need for careful pre-surgical evaluation of the patient's pharmacotherapy and pre- and post-operative therapeutic drug monitoring to prevent destabilisation of chronic conditions.

Objectives: Large language models (LLMs) with advanced language generation capabilities have the potential to enhance patient interactions. This study evaluates the effectiveness of ChatGPT 4.0 and Gemini 1.0 Pro in providing patient instructions and creating patient educational material (PEM).

Methods: A cross-sectional study employed ChatGPT 4.0 and Gemini 1.0 Pro across six medical scenarios using simple and detailed prompts. The Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Print materials (PEMAT-P) evaluated the understandability, actionability, and readability of the outputs.

Results: LLMs provided consistent responses, especially regarding drug information, therapeutic goals, administration, common side effects, and interactions. However, they lacked guidance on expiration dates and proper medication disposal. Detailed prompts yielded comprehensible outputs for the average adult. ChatGPT 4.0 had mean understandability and actionability scores of 80% and 60%, respectively, compared with 67% and 60% for Gemini 1.0 Pro. ChatGPT 4.0 produced longer outputs, achieving 85% readability with detailed prompts, while Gemini 1.0 Pro maintained consistent readability. Simple prompts resulted in ChatGPT 4.0 outputs at a 10th-grade reading level, while Gemini 1.0 Pro outputs were at a 7th-grade level. Both LLMs produced outputs at a 6th-grade level with detailed prompts.

Conclusion: LLMs show promise in generating patient instructions and PEM. However, healthcare professional oversight and patient education on LLM use are essential for effective implementation.

Objectives: Patients in intensive care units (ICUs) are potentially more vulnerable to medication errors than patients admitted to general wards. However, little is known about medication safety strategies used in European ICUs. Our objectives were to explore the strategies being used and being planned within European ICUs, to identify areas of variation, and to inform recommendations to improve medication safety in this patient group.

Methods: We distributed an online survey, in seven European languages, via professional networks and social media. The survey explored a range of medication safety strategies and whether they were in use (and if so, whether fully or partially implemented) or being planned. Demographic information about respondents and their ICUs was also captured. A descriptive analysis was conducted, which included exploring geographical variation.

Results: We obtained 587 valid responses from 32 different countries, with 317 (54%) completed by pharmacy staff. Medication safety practices most commonly implemented were patients' allergies being visible for all staff involved in their care (fully implemented in 382 (65%) of respondents' ICUs), standardised emergency medication stored in a fixed place (337, 57%), and use of standardised medication concentrations for commonly used intravenous infusions (330, 56%). Electronic prescribing systems were fully implemented in 310 (53%). A pharmacist was reported to be fully implemented in 181 (31%) of ICUs, of which there was 126 (70%) where there was a pharmacist review of all ordered medication five days per week. Critical care pharmacists were most common in Northern European ICUs (fully implemented to ICUs in 102, 50%) and electronic prescribing in Western Europe (108, 65%).

Conclusions: There is considerable variation in medication safety strategies used within European ICUs, both between and within geographical areas. Our findings may be helpful to ICU staff in identifying strategies that should be considered for implementation.

Objectives: Pevonedistat is a new cytotoxic used in association with azacitidine for the treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia and high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes. The manufacturer indicates an 18-hour stability after dilution in dextrose 5% or 0.9% sodium chloride (0.9% NaCl) at 2-8°C. No information is given for re-using vials of pevonedistat.Our objectives were to study the physico-chemical stability of 50 and 200 µg/mL pevonedistat diluted in 0.9% NaCl, in glass tubes, 100 µg/mL in 0.9% NaCl in polyolefin infusion bags, and 10 mg/mL partially used vials with a Spike. All preparations were stored at 2-8°C, protected from light.

Materials and methods: Due to the limited quantity of pevonedistat available for this study, we prepared test solutions at 50 and 200 µg/mL in glass tubes in a small volume of 20 mL. Inorder to verify the absence of a sorption phenomenon of the molecule onto polyolefin, we prepared two infusion bags at 100 µg/mL. We tested concentrated solution at 10 mg/mL. At each analysis time, we tested three samples of each condition by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with a photodiode array detector. Physical stability was evaluated by a visual and sub-visual inspection. We measured pH at each analysis time.

Results: Diluted solutions at 50 and 200 µg/mL in tubes and at 100 mg/mL in infusion bags retained more than 95% of the initial concentration for 14 days, the concentrated solution at 10 mg/mL did so for 7 days. No physical changes were detected visually or sub-visually. We found that pH values remained stable.

Conclusion: All diluted solutions remained physically and chemically stable for 14 days, the concentrated solution did so for 7 days. No interactions between the polyolefin bag and pevonedistat were demonstrated. This new data allows re-using the concentrated solution of pevonedistat in a commercial glass vial with a Spike, and storing a preparation in case of non-administration.

Following orthopaedic surgery, medication is vital for recovery and preventing complications, however drug-related problems (DRPs) can hinder medication use. The prevalence, types, and impact of DRPs on patients' activities of daily living (ADL) and the medication involved are unknown. Insight is needed for targeted interventions.

Aim: Our study had four aims to assess 1) the prevalence and types of DRPs with postoperative medication in orthopeadic patients 6 weeks after discharge; 2) the perceived impact of the reported DRPs on patients' ADL; 3) the postoperative medication most frequently causing DRPs; and 4) the association between DRP numbers and patient- and disease-related characteristics.

Methods: A cross-sectional study at a tertiary centre surveyed adult orthopaedic surgery patients 6 weeks post-surgery. Patients reported on demographics, DRPs and their ADL impact, health literacy, and medication beliefs. Clinical factors and medication use were extracted from medical records. Descriptive statistics and linear hierarchical regression analysis were conducted.

Results: Out of 484 patients (mean (standard deviation (SD)) age 61.1 (±12.7) years, 61.6% female), 87.4% reported at least one DRP, with 39.7% indicating it impacted ADL. The most frequent DRPs involved inadequate drug use, including intentionally used less (49.8%) and stopped earlier (44.6%). The most impactful DRPs involved negative experiences, including insufficient effect (69.3%) and side effect (57.6%). Opioids caused the most DRPs, averaging 1.8 per patient. Impactful DRPs were associated with female sex, knee and spine surgery, medication concerns, and younger age.

Conclusion: Most patients experienced at least one DRP within 6 weeks post-discharge, with nearly half reporting an impact on ADL. Inadequate drug use and negative experiences, particularly with opioids, are the most urgent DRPs to address.

Brentuximab vedotin (BV) is an antibody-drug conjugate, consisting of a CD30-directed antibody, conjugated by a protease-cleavable linker to a microtubule disrupting agent auristatin E (MMAE). Although the safety datasheet of BV does not warn of severe toxic effects of extravasation, we report a third case of a patient with anaplastic large cell lymphoma who developed severe epidermal necrosis after extravasation. The reason for what happened could be attributed to the fact that MMAE belongs to the group of vinca alkaloids so it should be handled like other tissue-necrotising chemotherapeutics. Reporting of all cases of extravasation involving new conjugated chemotherapeutic drugs is of the utmost importance to be able to develop updated guidelines. Hospital pharmacists can provide information on how to manage extravasation, assess the potential risk, and have a crucial role in drafting hospital protocols.

Objectives: Along with the COVID-19 pandemic, another illness wreaking havoc in India is mucormycosis, also known as black fungus. Mucormycosis was previously known as zygomycotic infection, which is a consequential type of infection caused by several mildews known as Mucoromycetes. It is an invasive type of disease which occurs more commonly in individuals with low and weakened immunity. The main objective of this study was to identify the mucormycosis cases post COVID-19 and to determine the risk factors and treatment for positive cases.

Methods: Thirty-three patients (61% men, 39% women; mean age 55 years) with mucormycosis were identified in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

Results: People who received COVID-19 vaccines had a lower rate of infection with the fungus than non-vaccinated people. In steroid users the risk was very high compared with those not taking steroids.

Conclusion: The majority of non vaccinated patients with preexisting co-morbidity conditions like diabetes, chronic illnesses and irregular use of steroids during COVID-19, might have greater risks of getting mucormycosis rather than normal COVID-19 positive cases.

Objective: Esketamine (Vesierra) is a molecule, used alone or in combination, to induce and maintain general anaesthesia and to relieve pain in emergency medicine. The aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term physicochemical stability of a 1 mg/mL solution of esketamine diluted in 0.9% sodium chloride (NaCl) and stored in polypropylene syringes at 5±3°C during 65 days (64+1 day at 22±3°C) and 72 hours at 22±3°C (room temperature), in order to centralise preparation under aseptic conditions in hospital pharmacy.

Methods: Ten syringes were prepared under aseptic conditions. Five syringes were stored at 22±3°C for 3 days, and the five others were stored at 5±3°C for 64 days (+ 1 day at room temperature). The stability was periodically investigated. Particle appearance or colour changes were checked by visual inspection. A research of crystals was performed under the microscope. pH was followed to assess its stability. The turbidity of the solutions was estimated by a measure of optical densities at 350, 410 and 550 nm. The molecule concentrations were measured by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled with a photodiode array detection (PDA), using a newly developed method.

Results: Based on microscopic examination, no crystals were observed, during the observation period. pH and absorbances at 350, 410 and 550 nm were also stable. Macroscopically, there was no change in colour and appearance of opacity, turbidity or precipitation. Statistical analysis indicates that 1 mg/mL esketamine solutions were chemically stable under these conditions, given that less than 5% of the solutions have lost more than 10% of their initial content during the study based on the prediction interval.

Conclusions: One mg/mL solutions of esketamine hydrochloride are physically and chemically stable after production, for at least 72 hours at 22±3°C and 64 days at 5±3°C (+ 1 day at room temperature).