Drug scheduling by nurses and drug interactions in patients with cardiovascular diseases

Abstract

Objectives: to identify and characterize the potential serious drug interactions in patients hospitalized with cardiovascular diseases, relating them to the schedules established for drug administration by nurses. Methods: a documentary, quantitative and sectional research. Ninety-nine prescriptions from patients admitted to the cardiology ward of a hospital in Rio de Janeiro for more than 48 hours were analyzed. Drug interaction was assessed using the Micromedex® software. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: serious interactions were evidenced in 22 drug pairs, most frequently at 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., times with higher dose scheduling performed by nurses. The most recurrent drug pairs involved in serious interactions were simvastatin + amlodipine and enoxaparin + clopidogrel. Conclusions: drug scheduling by nurses requires a review of the criteria for proposing schedules for drugs in order to ensure patient safety.