Neue Britische Studie zu Medikamentennebenwirkungen

Neue prospektive britische Studie zu Nebenwirkungen von Medikamenten, ADR, soeben im BMJ veröffentlicht, bestätigt weitgehend die Ergebnisse der amerikanischen Studie von Lazarou, Pomeranz und Corey.

Von 18 820 Krankenhausaufnahmen waren 1.225 durch Arzneimittelnebenwirkungen (auch adverse drug reactions – ADR) bedingt. 0,15 % der ADR verliefen tödlich im Vergleich zu 0,13 % in der Lazarou-Studie.

10.000 Todesfälle in Großbritannien im Jahr werden nach dieser Studie hochgerechnet. Lazarou kam zu 106.000 ADR-Todesfällen in den USA.

Die Ergebnisse dieser größten britischen, prospektiven Studie zu Nebenwirkungen von Medikamenten bestätigen viele der bisher bekannten Erkenntnisse der Lazarou-Studie, weiten diese aber auch deutlich aus:

 “What is already known on this topic

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) account for 5 % of hospital admissions, although this figure is largely based on small studies, many of which were performed before 1990

The incidence of fatal reactions in all patients admitted to hospital has been reported to be 0.13%, but this is based on a meta-analysis of studies that were mostly performed several decades ago

What this study adds

ADRs continue to represent a considerable burden on the NHS, accounting for 1 in 16 hospital admissions and 4 % of the hospital bed capacity

Most ADRs were predictable from the known pharmacology of the drugs and many represented known interactions and are therefore likely to be preventable.

Over 2 % of patients admitted with an adverse drug reaction died, suggesting that adverse effects may be responsible for the death of 0.15 % of all patients admitted

Older drugs continue to be most commonly implicated in causing such admissions.“