The Assessment of Incidence of Potential Drug Related Problems and Co-Morbidities in Cardiac Patients, Bangalore, India

Objective: The present study is aimed to determine factors and medications associated with DRPs in geriatric cardiac patients with multiple co morbidities patients. Methodology: The study was designed as a prospective observational in a multi-specialty tertiary care hospital in Bangalore, India. The study population was geriatric cardiology patients admitted in to hospital for the duration of 6 months. We assessed the drug interactions, the co-morbid conditions influencing potential DRPs, the adverse drug events through trigger tools. Result:  A total of 150 DRPs were identified in all 80 study subjects, had DRP frequency of 1.82 ± 2.2 per patient and categories as cognate to ADR 7.30%, DDIs: 21.53%. Most commonplace drug interaction type identified in these patients was moderate drug interaction which account 65.88% followed by minor (26.69%) and major type of drug interaction which was only 7.49%. hyperkalemia (n-4), increase serum creatinine (n-3) and increased INR (N-2) were the most laboratory triggers exist. Casualty assessment of ADRs was carried out using Naranjo’s scale most ADRs found were possible (44.74%, n- 17) and probable (31.58%, n-12). In this study, almost one-third of the adverse drug reactions implicated antiplatelets and corticosteroids drugs, HTN (n-53) and DMT2 (n-52) were the major co morbidities associated with MRPs. Conclusion: In the patient group included in the present study, occurrence of DRP may result in increased risk of hospital readmission, morbidity, mortality. Further study is necessary to establish efficient strategies for elderly at risk for potential DRPs.