Implementation of pharmacists’ interventions and assessment of medication errors in an intensive care unit of a Chinese tertiary hospital

Figures & data

Table 1 Patient characteristic during observational period in an ICU of a Chinese tertiary hospital

Characteristics	n (%)
n	583 (100)
Male	403 (69.1)
Female	180 (30.9)
Age (years)	60.7±21.9
Weight (kg)	62.4±25.8
APACHE II score	14.8±8.9
Patients with renal insufficiency*	153 (26.2)
Patients receiving renal replacement therapy	99 (17.0)
Admission diagnosis n (%)
Pneumonia and/or ARDS	137 (23.5)
CHF/pulmonary edema	83 (14.2)
Cerebrovascular accident	73 (12.5)
Cardiac/aortic surgery	65 (11.1)
Septic shock	51 (8.7)
Gastrointestinal surgery	43 (7.4)
MODS	28 (4.8)
Others	103 (17.7)
Length of ICU stay (d)	5.6±4.5
Drugs used per admission	6.5±4.6

Notes: Data are expressed as n (%) or mean ± standard deviation.

* Patients with renal insufficiency were defined as patients older than 18 years and who had an estimated creatinine clearance less than or equal to 50 mL/min upon admission or during the ICU stay. “Others” includes trauma, severe pancreatitis, hyperkalemia, and hypercalcemia.

Abbreviations: APACHE II, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II; ARDS, adult respiratory distress syndrome; CHF, congestive heart failure; ICU, intensive care unit; MODS, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.

Table 2 Type and number of pharmacist’s recommendations in an intensive care unit of a Chinese tertiary hospital

Category of pharmacist recommendations	n (%) recommendations	n (%) recommendations accepted
Change in drug frequency or dosing: improper drug frequency or dosing	178 (36.4)	149 (83.7)
Start new drugs: lack of use of needed drugs	81 (16.6)	72 (88.9)
Change or stop drugs: potential ADR or occurrence of ADR	69 (14.1)	54 (78.3)
Provision of drug information: lack of drug-related information	49 (10.0)	49 (100)
Change or stop drugs: improper drug selection or indication	41 (8.4)	21 (51.2)
Change or stop drugs: improper duration of drug treatment	27 (5.5)	22 (81.5)
Change or stop drugs: drug–drug interactions	18 (3.7)	16 (88.9)
Stop drugs: contraindication	11 (2.3)	11 (100)
Others: wrong solvent, duplication, etc.	15 (3.1)	13 (86.7)
Total	489 (100)	407 (83.2)

Abbreviation: ADR, adverse drug reaction.

Figure 1 Type of medication errors encountered in an intensive care unit of a Chinese tertiary hospital.

Note: “Others” refer to medication errors, including wrong solvent, duplicated drug use, and so on.
Abbreviation: ADR, adverse drug reaction.

Figure 2 Type of medication with medication errors in an intensive care unit of a Chinese tertiary hospital.

Note: “Others” refer to corticosteroids, antidiabetics, electrolytes, hepatinica, and central nervous system drugs.
Abbreviation: GI, gastrointestinal.