Adverse drug events in hospitalized cardiac patients.

Little information is available concerning adverse drug events (ADEs) in cardiac patients. Therefore, the investigators report the results of cardiac patients in an ADE surveillance program, with the intent of reducing the frequency of future events. All reported adverse drug reactions and medication errors in cardiac patients over a 5-year period at Brigham and Women's Hospital were reviewed.

Preventing DVT and PE in hospitalized patients: improving a successful electronic alert.

At Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) in Boston, MA, we recently concluded a four year randomized, controlled study of the effect of electronic alerts on physician behavior in the prevention of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE). We found that the use of an electronic alert reduced the risk of DVT or PE at 90 days by 41%. Upon review of the instances where the recommended prophylaxis was not accepted, we designed enhancements to the alert.

Medication dispensing errors and potential adverse drug events before and after implementing bar code technology in the pharmacy.

Background: Many dispensing errors made in hospital pharmacies can harm patients. Some hospitals are investing in bar code technology to reduce these errors, but data about its efficacy are limited.

Objective: To evaluate whether implementation of bar code technology reduced dispensing errors and potential adverse drug events (ADEs).

Effect of bar-code technology on the incidence of medication dispensing errors and potential adverse drug events in a hospital pharmacy.

We performed a direct observation prepost study to evaluate the impact of barcode technology on medication dispensing errors and potential adverse drug events in the pharmacy of a tertiary-academic medical center. We found that barcode technology significantly reduced the rate of target dispensing errors leaving the pharmacy by 85%, from 0.37% to 0.

How many hospital pharmacy medication dispensing errors go undetected?

Background: Hospital pharmacies dispense large numbers of medication doses for hospitalized patients. A study was conducted at an academic tertiary care hospital to characterize the incidence and severity of medication dispensing errors in a hospital pharmacy.

Methods: Direct observation of dispensing processes was undertaken to determine presence of errors with review by a physician panel to determine severity.

Efficacy and safety of low-dose valganciclovir for prevention of cytomegalovirus disease in renal transplant recipients: a single-center, retrospective analysis.

Study Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of valganciclovir 450 mg/day for 6 months for cytomegalovirus (CMV) prophylaxis in renal transplant recipients.

Design: Single-center, retrospective analysis.

Setting: Urban, academic medical center.