Which adverse events are related to health care during hospitalization in elderly inpatients?

Background: Adverse events result in longer hospital stays and increase costs and mortality. We aimed to assess incidence of adverse events occurring during hospitalization in a post-emergency unit and to describe their characteristics.

Methods: All adverse events occurring in patients during their hospitalization in a post-emergency unit in a French university hospital (20 beds) were systematically and consecutively recorded from September 2009 to February 2011.

Cannabis-related hospitalizations: unexpected serious events identified through hospital databases.

Aims: Cannabis is the most prevalent illicit drug used worldwide and can be responsible for serious health defects in users. However, the risk related to cannabis consumption is not well established. The present study aimed to assess cannabis-related adverse events leading to hospitalization, and to estimate the corresponding annual risk for consumers.

Harmful effect of saline infusion in a patient with glycyrrhizic acid poisoning.

Alcohol-free licorice beverages contain glycyrrhizic acid. Excess glycyrrhizic acid is a well-known cause of excess mineralocorticoid syndrome. We report a case of glycyrrhizic acid poisoning in an abstinent alcoholic complicated by severe pulmonary edema following excessive hydration with intravenous normal saline.

Hospitalizations because of adverse drug reactions in elderly patients admitted through the emergency department: a prospective survey.

Background And Objectives: Several studies have been conducted to determine the frequency and characteristics of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in elderly populations, focusing on those leading to hospital admission. However, most of these studies have been limited in their ability to assess risk factors, particularly the renal status of patients. Thus, the aim of this prospective study was to assess the incidence of ADRs and associated factors leading to hospital admissions in the elderly population.

Assessing the feasibility of using an adverse drug reaction preventability scale in clinical practice: a study in a French emergency department.

Objective: To assess the preventability of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) leading to hospital admissions and to investigate the feasibility of the use of a standardised preventability scale in clinical practice.

Design: The study was a prospective pharmacovigilance study. All patients more than 15 years old admitted to an emergency department during a period of 4 weeks were included.