rss
Qual Saf Health Care 2004;13:181-185 doi:10.1136/qshc.2003.008334
  • Original Article

Indicators for preventable drug related morbidity: application in primary care

  1. C J Morris1,
  2. S Rodgers2,
  3. V S Hammersley2,
  4. A J Avery2,
  5. J A Cantrill1
  1. 1School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
  2. 2Division of General Practice, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
  1. Correspondence to:
 Dr C J Morris
 The Drug Usage and Pharmacy Practice Group, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK; caroline.j.morrisman.ac.uk
  • Accepted 19 December 2003

Abstract

Aim: To apply in practice a series of validated indicators for preventable drug related morbidity (PDRM).

Design: A pilot study to identify retrospectively potential PDRM events over a 2 year 3 month time frame using the MIQUEST computer software program.

Subjects and setting: The electronic patient record of all patients aged 18 years and over in nine English general practices.

Outcome measures: The number of potential PDRM events identified, as defined by the indicators.

Results: Five hundred and seven potential PDRM events were identified from 49 658 electronic patient records, giving an overall incidence of 1.0%. A small number of the indicators (n = 4) accounted for approximately 60% of the events, while for many indicators few events were identified. The most common events related to the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in patients with congestive heart failure or hypertension, lack of monitoring in patients prescribed angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, and the use of hypnotic-anxiolytic agents.

Conclusions: A small number of indicators contributed to the majority of the PDRM events. Interrogation of electronic patient records in primary care using computerised queries shows potential for detecting PDRM.

Footnotes

  • See editorial commentary, p 170

This Article

  1. Abstract
  2. Full text
  3. PDF

Responses

  1. Submit a response
  2. No responses published

Register for free content

The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.