International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine

BACKGROUND: Most research on the impact of medication reconciliation on patient safety focused on the retroactive model, with limited attention given to the proactive model. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to compare the proactive and retroactive models in patients hospitalized for acute decompensated heart failure. METHODS: This prospective, quasi-experimental study was conducted over six months, from June to November 2022, at the cardiology unit of an academic hospital in Iran...

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BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing dialysis pose therapeutic challenges in terms of polypharmacy, administration of potentially inappropriate drugs, and drugs with the potential risk of toxicity. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the use of drugs, potentially inappropriate medicines (PIM), drugs with risk of Torsades de Pointes (TdP), and the complexity of the prescribed regimen using the medication regimen complexity index scale in patients undergoing hemodialysis. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was carried out amongst patients receiving hemodialysis...

BACKGROUND: The global COVID-19 pandemic has forced people to obtain health products and services from home. Similar to other e-commerce, medicines are bought online and delivered using a courier service. OBJECTIVE: By being fully concerned to patient safety, this study aims to determine development strategies to increase intention in purchasing prescription drugs through e-pharmacy. METHODS: Two stages of measurement are employed in this study, namely confirmatory factor analyis using PLS-SEM and pairwise comparison using AHP method...

BACKGROUND: Physicians encounter stressors with potential long-term psychological consequences. However, a comprehensive picture of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence and symptomatic work-related event occurrence across practice stages is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate PTSD prevalence and the occurrence of work-related symptomatic events among physicians and medical learners. METHODS: In 2017, we surveyed 3,036 physicians, residents, and students within the province of Saskatchewan, Canada...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Since the mid-20th century, contrast agents have been widely used in radiology due to their ability to provide high-definition radiographic images and greater precision in diagnostic exams. Different types of contrast agents are used in image diagnosis, namely radiological media. Despite being considered safe, there are still uncertainties about their safety profile, interactions, and incidence of adverse drug reactions in real-world settings. OBJECTIVE: To characterise the pattern of adverse events, during 7 years, in a radiology unit...

BACKGROUND: Angioneurotic edema is the most dangerous complication in angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) therapy. Based on the current data, the clinical and genetic predictors of angioedema development are still understudied, which demonstrates the relevance of this study. OBJECTIVE: To reveal the pharmacogenetic predictors of the angioedema as a secondary side effect to enalapril in patients with essential arterial hypertension. METHODS: The study enrolled 111 subjects randomized into two groups: study group, patients with the angioedema as a secondary side effect to enalapril; and control group, patients without adverse drug reaction...

BACKGROUND: Although antidepressant medication (ADM) has produced small advantages over pill placebo in randomized controlled trials, consuming ADM has predicted prospectively increasing depressive symptom severity in samples of community-dwelling adults. OBJECTIVE: We extended the community literature by testing ADM's relations to changes in personality and quality of life that may underpin depression. METHOD: In this longitudinal, observational study, community-dwelling adults (N = 601) were assessed twice, 8 months apart on average...

BACKGROUND: Depression drugs can be difficult to come off due to withdrawal symptoms. Gradual tapering with tapering support is needed to help patients withdraw safely. OBJECTIVE: To review the withdrawal success rates, using any intervention, and the effects on relapse/recurrence rates, symptom severity, quality of life, and withdrawal symptoms. METHODS: Systematic review based on PubMed and Embase searches (last search 4 October 2022) of randomised trials with one or more treatment arms aimed at helping patients withdraw from a depression drug, regardless of indication for treatment...

BACKGROUND: Medication reconciliation is advocated to ensure the continuity, safety, and effective use of medicines across transitions of care. CASE REPORT: In this report, we describe the case of a 90-year-old female with previous diagnoses of atrial fibrillation and cutaneous metastatic breast cancer presenting with bilateral ulcerative lesions on the chest wall. The patient was diagnosed with Deep Vein Thrombosis at the Emergency Department and started on rivaroxaban, although the patient was already taking edoxaban...

BACKGROUND: Data about performance measures (PM) in patients with ST segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) in low- and middle-income countries is really scarce. One of the reasons is the lack of appropriate measures for these scenarios where coronary intervention is not the standard treatment. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop a set of PM and quality markers for patients with STEMI in these countries. METHODS: Two investigators systematically reviewed existing guidelines and scientific literature to identify potential PM by referring to documents searched through PubMed from 2010 through 2019, using terms "Myocardial Infarction", "STEMI", "quality indicator", and "performance measure"...

BACKGROUND: Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological disorders, affecting more than 50 million people globally. In this review we summarised the evidence from randomised controlled trials of gabapentin used as monotherapy for the treatment of focal epilepsy, both newly diagnosed and drug-resistant, with or without secondary generalisation. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of gabapentin monotherapy for people with epileptic focal seizures with and without secondary generalisation...

BACKGROUND: Healthcare organizations are among high-risk organizations due to the nature of their work as well as structural, physical and technological complexities. Accordingly, it is very important to use risk management and control programs in all departments of these organizations. OBJECTIVE: The present study was conducted for the first time to evaluate the risk management status of the operating room and laboratory departments of Hamadan hospitals in 2022...

BACKGROUND: The world has faced an unprecedented challenge since COVID-19 emerged as a pandemic, which has led to quarantine and disruptions in drug services. During the pandemic, drug use habits and availability changed, causing a shift in behaviors and, in turn, medicine misuse. In Iraq, this is a major problem because many medicines can be easily obtained. OBJECTIVE: The study aims to describe the pattern of dispensing medications during the pandemic and to evaluate the biochemical and pathological consequences...

BACKGROUND: Dentists using dental amalgam are chronically exposed to low doses of elemental mercury. The complex toxico-kinetics of this systemic toxicant results in polymorphic and variable clinical phenotypes. In this context, adapted statistical methods are required to highlight potential adverse effects of occupational mercury exposure on dentists' health. OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to analyze the distribution of self-reported subjective symptoms, commonly associated with chronic mercury poisoning, according to occupational mercury exposure in a population of Moroccan liberal dentists...

BACKGROUND: There is currently no widespread implementation of pharmacogenetic testing (PGx) methods in the practice of phthisiology service. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to determine how informed and prepared phthisiologists, residents, and postgraduate students of the Russian Medical Academy of Continuing Professional Education (RMACPE, Moscow) use PGx techniques in their work to improve treatment safety, predict the occurrence of adverse reactions (ADRs), and personalize therapy...

BACKGROUND: Intravenous medications have greater complexity and require multiple steps in their preparation and administration, which is considered a high risk for patients. OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of intravenous medications preparation and administration errors in critically ill patients. METHODS: This was an observational, cross-sectional, prospective study design. The study was performed conducted in Wad Medani Emergency Hospital, Sudan on with 33 nurses...

BACKGROUND: Healthtech has become a nascent sector of the internet economy since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Telemedicine features are facilitated, such as teleconsultation, e-diagnosis, e-prescribing, and e-pharmacy. However, the intention to use digital health services in Indonesia is still underdeveloped though the sales of other risk-free e-commerce products are high enough. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the human perception of perceived value and social influences regarding the intention to use digital health services...

BACKGROUND: Acinetobacter baumannii is a major cause of nosocomial infections and high mortality rates. Evaluation of risk factors for such resistant infections may aid surveillance and diagnostic initiatives, as well as, can be crucial in early and appropriate antibiotic therapy. OBJECTIVE: To identify the risk factors in patients with resistant A. baumannii infection with respect to controls. METHODS: Prospective or retrospective cohort and case-control studies reporting the risk factors for resistant A...