ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The main aim of pharmacovigilance, a public health activity, is to communicate, collect and evaluate notifications of adverse reactions to drugs (ARD) received from health professionals. Among this collective, nurses are in an optimal position due to their knowledge of pharmacology and their role in the front line of patient care. METHOD: We performed a search of the ARD reported by nursing staff in Extremadura from january 1, 2000 to december 31, 2005 through the pharmacovigilance information system of Extremadura. RESULTS: A total of 1,502 ARD were notified to the Spanish pharmacovigilance system by nurses throughout Spain (3.32% of the total) and 10 RAM by nurses from Extremadura (0.64% of the total number of RAM notified by nurses). The highest number of ARD corresponded to the year 2000, with 20% of the total being urticaria. The causative agents were vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and poliomyelitis (30% of the total). According to the notifiers, 50% corresponded to the extrahospital setting. Only one ARD required emergency care, while 40% of affected individuals required drug therapy to alleviate the effects of the ARD. Seventy percent of the ARD were mild, while the remainder were moderate. ARD occurred in men and women equally, and the mean age of affected individuals was 37.4 years. CONCLUSION: ARD are underreported by nurses, influenced by low motivation to notify these events and lack of knowledge of how they should be reported.
Subject(s)
Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems/statistics & numerical data , Nurse's Role , SpainABSTRACT
Introducción. La farmacovigilancia es una de las actividades de la salud pública que tiene como misión principal la comunicación, la recogida y evaluación de notificaciones de reacciones adversas a medicamentos (RAM) recibidas por todos los profesionales sanitarios y en la que los enfermeros gozan de una situación óptima en cuanto a los conocimientos farmacológicos obtenidos y la relación de primer agente mediador con el paciente. Método. Búsqueda activa de las RAM notificadas por el personal sanitario enfermero extremeño entre el 1 de enero de 2000 hasta el 31 de diciembre de 2005 a través del sistema de información de farmacovigilancia de Extremadura. Resultados. En el Sistema Español de Farmacovigilancia se identifican 1.502 RAM notificadas por enfermeros en el territorio nacional (el 3,32% del total) y 10 RAM en Extremadura (el 0,64% del total de RAM notificadas por enfermeros). El mayor número de RAM corresponde al año 2000, el 20% del total son urticarias y el fármaco causante es el que se utiliza para la inmunización activa contra la difteria, el tétanos, la pertusis y la poliomielitis (30% del total). Según se ha notificado, el 50% corresponde al ámbito extrahospitalario. Sólo 1 caso precisó atención sanitaria en urgencias y el 40% tratamiento farmacológico para paliar los efectos de la RAM. En el 70% se evaluó la RAM como leve, y en el 30% restante fue moderada. Hay la misma proporción de varones que de mujeres, con una edad media de 37,4 años. Conclusiones. Se constata una infranotificación de RAM por parte del colectivo enfermero, influenciada por baja motivación en la notificación y desconocimiento del sistema de información de RAM
Introduction. The main aim of pharmacovigilance, a public health activity, is to communicate, collect and evaluate notifications of adverse reactions to drugs (ARD) received from health professionals. Among this collective, nurses are in an optimal position due to their knowledge of pharmacology and their role in the front line of patient care. Method. We performed a search of the ARD reported by nursing staff in Extremadura from january 1, 2000 to december 31, 2005 through the pharmacovigilance information system of Extremadura. Results. A total of 1,502 ARD were notified to the Spanish pharmacovigilance system by nurses throughout Spain (3.32% of the total) and 10 RAM by nurses from Extremadura (0.64% of the total number of RAM notified by nurses). The highest number of ARD corresponded to the year 2000, with 20% of the total being urticaria. The causative agents were vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and poliomyelitis (30% of the total). According to the notifiers, 50% corresponded to the extrahospital setting. Only one ARD required emergency care, while 40% of affected individuals required drug therapy to alleviate the effects of the ARD. Seventy percent of the ARD were mild, while the remainder were moderate. ARD occurred in men and women equally, and the mean age of affected individuals was 37.4 years. Conclusion. ARD are underreported by nurses, influenced by low motivation to notify these events and lack of knowledge of how they should be reported
