Clinical Decision Rules for Identifying Adverse Drug Events in the ED

In a prospective study, researchers developed clinical decision rules to identify emergency department (ED) patients at risk for significant adverse drug effects (ADEs). Pharmacists reviewed records for 1591 adults who presented to two EDs in Vancouver and had taken at least one prescription or over-the-counter medication in the 2 weeks before the visit. ADEs were defined as events arising from medication use that caused death or required hospital admission (severe) or required a change in medical therapy, a diagnostic test, or a consultation (moderate).

Overall, ADEs were diagnosed in 131 patients (8.2%). Variables associated with ADEs included presence of comorbid conditions, antibiotic use within 7 days, medication changes within 28 days,…