Prospective observational study identifies 2,504 potential drug-drug interactions among hospitalized patients with acute coronary syndrome.

BackgroundPotential drug-drug Interactions (pDDIs) are a serious concern in cardiovascular patients and are responsible for most adverse drug reactions and drug-related hospital admissions. Clinically significant pDDIs may injure patients, create adverse outcomes, and impact healthcare costs. Therefore, pDDIs control is critical for the improvement of prescription drug safety.AimThe present study aimed to assess potential pDDIs among cardiovascular patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Upper Egypt.MethodsA prospective observational study was performed on acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients attending Assiut University Heart Hospital. The Lexi-Interact online was used to assess pDDIs. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with pDDIs.ResultsA total of 371 patients attending Assiut University Heart Hospital were recruited for the study. A total of 2,504 pDDIs were detected among the patients. The mean number of drugs prescribed per patient was 7.78 ± 1.73. Class C, D, and X DDIs were found in 74.76%, 10.02%, and 0.04%, respectively. Aspirin and ticagrelor were the most prevalent pDDIs under category D (232, 92.4%). A combination of ramipril and aspirin was the most frequently encountered interacting pair in the class C (281, 17.2%). STEMI patients, length of hospital stay, and a higher number of prescribed drugs were significantly associated with the occurrence of pDDIs, according to multiple logistic regression.ConclusionPatients with ACS were frequently exposed to pDDIs with the highest drug-related problems, treatment failure, and negative consequences. Therefore, clinical pharmacists ought to be more involved in managing complex drug regimens and improving therapeutic outcomes.