Medication errors: descriptive study of medication classes and high-alert medication

Objective:  The study aims to present the medication classes involved in medication errors occurred at an Intensive Care Unit and to identify which are classified as high-alert medication classes.

Methods:  The population was composed of the documents of occurrence of errors contained in a database created for a previous investigation. We performed a secondary analysis of the available information.

Results:  Overall, 305 events were identified, with an average rate of 6.9 events per patient. Seventy-three medications were found, distributed among 33 classes according to their predominant action, the most frequent of which were: antibiotics (25.2%), gastric acid reducers (19.0%) and antihypertensive drugs (9.2%). Thirty-seven (12.1%) events involving high-alert medication classes were identified, corresponding to five classes, among which venous anesthetics predominated (43.3%).

Conclusion:  These drug types are frequently used at intensive care units and should be accurately monitored, as they can cause further damage when incorrectly used.

Medication errors; Medication systems; Intensive care units; Quality of health care