Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug prescriptions in hospital inpatients: are we assessing the risks?

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Irish Journal of Medical Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Aim

To determine non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) prescribing practices in a tertiary referral hospital.

Methods

A single time-point audit of drug kardexes and clinical notes of n = 388 patients on 2 July 2008 was carried out assessing demographics, gastrointestinal and coronary heart disease risk factors, renal function and co-prescribed medications.

Results

Fifty-seven of 388 (14.7%) hospital patients were on NSAIDs. Forty-nine were prescribed NSAID after admission. Nineteen (32.2%) were on regular NSAID (11/19 on PPI) and 38 patients were on PRN NSAID (12/38 on PPI). Seventeen of 49 patients were on other medications associated with gastrointestinal bleeding (10/17 were on PPI). Nineteen patients (33.3%) were >60 years. Eight patients had three or four risk factors for gastrointestinal bleeding; six were on PPI. Thirteen patients had two risks; 7 were on PPI. Six of 19 patients with one risk factor were on PPI. 40.3% had stage 2/3 chronic kidney disease. 35.1% had ischaemic heart disease.

Conclusions

NSAIDs and PPIs are often prescribed inappropriately.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Griffin MR (1998) Epidemiology of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-associated gastrointestinal injury. Am J Med 104(3A):23S–29S (discussion 41S–42S)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Lanza FL (1998) A guideline for the treatment and prevention of NSAID-induced ulcers. Members of the Ad Hoc Committee on Practice Parameters of the American College of Gastroenterology. Am J Gastroenterol 93(11):2037–2046

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Barry PJ, O’Keefe N, O’Connor K et al (2006) Inappropriate prescribing in the elderly: a comparison of the Beers criteria and the improved prescribing in the elderly tool (IPET) in acutely ill elderly hospitalized patients. J Clin Pharm Ther 31(6):617–626

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Gallagher PF, Barry PJ, Ryan C et al (2008) Inappropriate prescribing in an acutely ill population of elderly patients as determined by Beers’ Criteria. Age Ageing 37(1):96–101

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Cullen G, Kelly E, Murray FE (2006) Patients’ knowledge of adverse reactions to current medications. Br J Clin Pharmacol 62(2):232–236

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Abraham NS, El-Serag HB, Johnson M et al (2005) National adherence to evidence-based guidelines for the prescription of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Gastroenterology 129(4):1171–1178

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Lanas A, Ferrandez A (2007) Inappropriate prevention of NSAID-induced gastrointestinal events among long-term users in the elderly. Drugs Aging 24(2):121–131

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Brekke M, Rognstad S, Straand J et al (2008) Pharmacologically inappropriate prescriptions for elderly patients in general practice: How common? Baseline data from The Prescription Peer Academic Detailing (Rx-PAD) study. Scand J Prim Health Care 26(2):80–85

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rheumatology, Adelaide and Meath Hospital incorporating the National Children’s Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland

    J. Kitchen & D. Kane

Authors
  1. J. Kitchen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. Kane
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. Kitchen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kitchen, J., Kane, D. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug prescriptions in hospital inpatients: are we assessing the risks?. Ir J Med Sci 179, 357–360 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-010-0496-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-010-0496-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation