Implementation of a Program to Prevent Possible Drug-Food Interactions in Adult Patients Hospitalized in Clinical and Surgical Cares of a University Hospital

• Main Authors: Lucas Magedanz, Thalita Jacoby, Daiandy da Silva, Luciana dos Santos, Jacqueline Martinbiancho, Joice Zuckermann
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre ; Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) 2009-04-01
• Series: Clinical and Biomedical Research
• Subjects: assistência farmacêutica; farmacovigilância; interação fármaco-alimento
• Online Access: http://seer.ufrgs.br/index.php/hcpa/article/view/5984

Drug-food interactions (DFI) are defined as alterations produced in the therapeutic effects of a medicine due to concomitant food ingestion. Objective: To identify possible with medical prescriptions for hospitalized patients in the IFA “Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre” (HCPA), and guide the clinical staff about the appropriate timing of administration of medicines. Methods: The study examined, between February and July 2006, 2645 prescriptions for adult patients hospitalized in medical and surgical units of HCPA, who received oral diet. Results: We found that 54.5% (1,442) prescriptions had potential DFI. In such cases, the teams were receiving care by a notification in medical records, information about the medicines they needed a fasting interval, to ensure their maximum bioavailability. Conclusions: The high incidence of prescription medicines containing possible to interact with food shows the need for a system offering, systematically, the orientations regarding the adequate administration of the medicines.