Prospective study of emergencies due to drug adverse reaction in a university hospital

Hospital admissions resulting from an adverse drug reaction have been studi ed in the emergency unit of the university hospital in Poitiers during a 27 -day period. This prospective study consisted in documenting all observatio ns considered as an ADR by the medical practitioner in charge of the patien t. There were 1235 hospital admissions to the emergency unit during the stu dy period. Thirty-one (2.5 per cent) of admissions were considered to be dr ug-related. Women were more often affected than men. Patients with ADR were classified taking into account the type of pathology and the drug responsi ble for the effect. Dermatological and gastrointestinal reactions were pred ominant. Antibiotic and analgesic drugs were the most common drug groups im plicated in causing an ADR.