ABSTRACT

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the frequency of potential drug-drug interactions (pDDI) and the effect of the number of drugs used on pDDI with the Uptodate drug interactions application.

Patients older than 12 years of age who were treated in the intensive care unit for 3 days or more in 2016 were included in the study. pDDIs were detected by entering the drugs used for more than 24 hours into the Uptodate application. The total number of mild, moderate and severe pDDIs and the number of medications used, length of stay, age, number of chronic diseases, mechanical ventilation (MV) support, hospitalization diagnoses, and APACHE II score were compared statistically.

While pDDI was found to increase with the number of medications administered, it was found that it did not show an exact association with the number of days of hospitalization. However, it was higher in patients who received MV support, had a high APACHE II score, and died. pDDI was seen least in the postoperative follow-up diagnosis group.

It was determined that pDDI increased as the number of medications used in critically ill patients increased.