Type of Study

Transversal descriptive.

Dug utilization study: therapeutic schedule.

Sample

All hospitalized patients in the Psychiatry, Internal Medicine and Gerontology wards during the second week of April 1998.

• Patients suffering drug interactions
• Rate of drugs prescribed to each patient.
• Type of drug interaction due to its mechanism: pharmaceutical, pharmacokinetical and pharmacological.
• Demographic features of the patients with drug interactions.
• Potential consequences: favorable or unfavorable..

Reference Pattern

To identify drug interactions "Handbook of adverse drug interactions" was used.