DRUG-RELATED HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS - A REVIEW OF AUSTRALIAN STUDIES PUBLISHED 1988-1996

Objective: To examine the extent of drug-related hospital admissions i n Australia by reviewing Australian studies published between 1988 and 1996. Data sources and study selection: The terms ''drug-related'', ' 'admissions'', ''readmissions'', ''hospitalisation'', ''hospitalizatio n'' and ''iatrogenic'' were used to search MEDLINE and Australian Publ ic Affairs Information Service databases. The Australian Journal of Ho spital Pharmacy and conference proceedings of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists and the Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association we re searched manually. Studies were included if they were Australian, h ad the primary aim of identifying drug-related admissions, and had at least one clinical pharmacist or medical practitioner review the admis sions. Data extraction: Total number of admissions assessed; proportio n considered drug-related; drug groups implicated; and proportion cons idered avoidable. Data synthesis: 14 studies were identified; 2.4%-3.6 % of all hospital admissions were reported to be drug-related. 6%-7% o f emergency admissions, 12% of all admissions to medical wards and 15% -22% of all emergency admissions among the elderly were drug related. Between 32% and 69% of drug-related admissions were reported as defini tely or possibly preventable. Drug groups most commonly implicated wer e cytotoxics, cardiovascular agents, antihypertensives, anticoagulants and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Conclusion: Drug-related h ospital admissions are a significant and expensive public health probl em in Australia, and approximately half were considered possibly or pr obably preventable.