[Review of the interference between the most commonly prescribed drugs and clinical analyses at the Primary Health Care Centre of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat]. / Revisión de las interferencias entre los medicamentos más prescritos en el servicio de atención primaria de L'Hospitalet de Llobregat (ICS) y los análisis clínicos.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the concordance of published information on probable drug interactions and the results of clinical analyses. DESIGN: Bibliographical review of the 50 most commonly prescribed drug products at the Primary Health Centre of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain, in 2002 and 2003. DATA SOURCE: Six bibliographical sources consisting of drug product catalogues and reference books. MEASUREMENTS: Interference with the 56 drug products studied. RESULTS: Most theoretical interference belonged to the therapeutic group of anti-inflammatory drugs. The drug products with most interference were hydrochlorothiazide (diuretic) and gliclazide (lipid lowering). The most frequent interference was in the increase of transaminases, thrombocytopaenia, leukopaenia, hyperglycaemia, and hyperuricaemia. Only in 12% of the points of interference analysed was the rate of concordance among the various bibliographical sources reviewed higher than 50%. The highest rate of concordance was found in the diuretics. CONCLUSIONS: Consultation of a single bibliographical source does not necessarily ensure the obtaining of reliable data on possible drug interference. This study demonstrates the need to standardize information on drug interference and to include the medication that the patient follows on the analysis application form.

Revisión de las interferencias entre los medicamentos más prescritos en el servicio de atención primaria de L'Hospitalet de Llobregat (ICS) y los análisis clínicos / Review of the interference between the most commonly prescribed drugs and clinical analyses at the primary health care centre of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat (ICS)

Objetivo. Analizar la concordancia de la información publicada sobre probables interacciones medicamentosas con los resultados de las pruebas analíticas. Diseño. Revisión bibliográfica sobre los 50 medicamentos más prescritos en el servicio de atención primaria (SAP) de L'Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona) durante los años 2002 y 2003. Fuente de datos. Seis fuentes bibliográficas consistentes en catálogos de especialidades farmacéuticas y libros de referencia. Selección de estudios. Interferencias que corresponden a los 56 medicamentos estudiados. Resultados. El mayor número de interferencias teóricas correspondió al grupo terapéutico de los antiinflamatorios. Los medicamentos con más interferencias fueron la hidroclorotiacida (diurético) y la gliclacida (hipoglucemiante). Las interferencias más frecuentes correspondieron al aumento de las transaminasas, la trombopenia, la leucopenia, la hiperglucemia y la hiperuricemia. Sólo en el 12% de las interferencias analizadas el grado de coincidencia entre las distintas fuentes bibliográficas consultadas fue superior al 50%. El mayor grado de coincidencia se dio en los diuréticos. Conclusiones. La consulta de una sola fuente bibliográfica no garantiza la obtención de una información fiable acerca de las posibles interferencias medicamentosas. El estudio pone de manifiesto la necesidad de uniformizar la información sobre las interferencias medicamentosas y de incluir en la solicitud analítica la medicación que utiliza el paciente

Objective. To analyse the concordance of published information on probable drug interactions and the results of clinical analyses. Design. Bibliographical review of the 50 most commonly prescribed drug products at the Primary Health Centre of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain, in 2002 and 2003. Data source. Six bibliographical sources consisting of drug product catalogues and reference books. Measurements. Interference with the 56 drug products studied. Results. Most theoretical interference belonged to the therapeutic group of anti-inflammatory drugs. The drug products with most interference were hydrochlorothiazide (diuretic) and gliclazide (lipid lowering). The most frequent interference was in the increase of transaminases, thrombocytopaenia, leukopaenia, hyperglycaemia, and hyperuricaemia. Only in 12% of the points of interference analysed was the rate of concordance among the various bibliographical sources reviewed higher than 50%. The highest rate of concordance was found in the diuretics. Conclusions. Consultation of a single bibliographical source does not necessarily ensure the obtaining of reliable data on possible drug interference. This study demonstrates the need to standardize information on drug interference and to include the medication that the patient follows on the analysis application form