Preventable ADRs leading to hospitalization - results of a long-term prospective safety study with 6,427 ADR cases focusing on elderly patients.

Background: Studies evaluating the impact of age and potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) on avoidable adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are scarce.

Methods: In this prospective, multi-center, long-term (8.5 years) observational study, we analysed ADRs leading to hospitalization in departments of internal medicine.

Self-medication with over-the-counter and prescribed drugs causing adverse-drug-reaction-related hospital admissions: results of a prospective, long-term multi-centre study.

Background: Self-medication, including both the use of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and the use of formerly prescribed drugs taken without a current physician's recommendation, is a public health concern; however, little data exist regarding the actual risk.

Objective: We aimed to analyse self-medication-related adverse drug reactions (ADRs) leading to hospitalisation.

Methods: In a multi-centre, observational study covering a hospital catchment area of approximately 500,000 inhabitants, we analysed self-medication-related ADRs leading to hospital admissions in internal medicine departments.

Bleeding complications and liver injuries during phenprocoumon treatment: a multicentre prospective observational study in internal medicine departments.

Background: Even after the recent approval of newer oral anticoagulants for clinical use, the vitamin K antagonist phenprocoumon remains an important treatment option for many patients. In order to quantify the hitherto "accepted" risks of phenprocoumon treatment, we analyzed adverse drug reactions (ADRs) that led to hospitalization on the internal medicine wards of four German pharmacovigilance centers.

Methods: We prospectively analyzed ADRs leading to hospitalization on the internal medicine wards of the hospitals belonging to the German Network of Regional Pharmacovigilance Centers (Rostock, Greifswald, Jena, and the Sophien- und Hufeland-Klinikum in Weimar) in the years 2000 to 2008.

Magnetic Active Agent Release System (MAARS): evaluation of a new way for a reproducible, externally controlled drug release into the small intestine.

Human absorption studies are used to test new drug candidates for their bioavailability in different regions of the gastrointestinal tract. In order to replace invasive techniques (e.g.

Adverse drug reactions in Germany: direct costs of internal medicine hospitalizations.

Purpose: German hospital reimbursement modalities changed as a result of the introduction of Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG) in 2004. Therefore, no data on the direct costs of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) resulting in admissions to departments of internal medicine are available. The objective was to quantify the ADR-related economic burden (direct costs) of hospitalizations in internal medicine wards in Germany.