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Asmit Acharya*, Ramesh Basnet, Ajmal. A. Salam, Akhil Achankunju, Davan B. Bevoor
Background: Drug- Drug interactions (DDIs) occur when the administration of one drug alters the therapeutic effects of another. These effects may be an increase or decrease in the action of either substance or it may be an adverse effect that is not normally associated with either drug. Data was collected from the patients who were admitted in the Emergency Department. The objectives were to identify, evaluate and analyse the drug-drug interactions in the emergency department of a tertiary care teaching hospital by using different information tools like Drug interaction form, Medscape drug interaction checker, Lexicomp, Stockley’s drug interaction and Drugs.com. Methods: The study was prospective observational study conducted for the period of six months starting from October 2018 to March 2020 in emergency department of Tertiary care teaching Hospital, Davanagere, Karnataka. Results: The overall data of 121 patients were enrolled in the study. In our study, a total of 230 interactions were seen in 121 patients, out of 230 DDIs, a total of 67 (29.14%) were pharmacokinetics DDIS and a total of 163 pharmacodynamics DDIS were observed of which 28 (12.18%) were major, 166(72.17%) were moderate and 36(15.65%) were minor. Out of 230 DDIs, the age 50-59 years had total of 57 (24.78%) drug interactions which includes 4 major, 44 moderate and 9 minor interactions. The most commonly involved classes of drugs were antibiotics 60 (17.64%), diuretics 35 (10.29%), antihypertensive 34 (10%), H2 blockers 25 (7.35%), antiemetic’s 24 (7.05%), antiasthamatics 22 (6.47%) whereas antipyretics, antiepileptic’s and antiplatelet were 17 (05%) in each. Conclusion: In our study, out of 230 DDIs, most frequently occurring major DDIs were Ondansetron + Tramadol. Majority of the patients received polypharmacy in emergency department which is the major cause for the DDIs. In a conclusion, the results of this study emphasized the active role of clinical pharmacist in detecting and managing different types of DDIs. Key Words: Drug-drug interactions, Pharmacokinetic, Pharmacodynamics, Emergency Department, Polypharmacy.