ADVERSE DRUG REACTION.

‘’ADR STUDY AND ITS PREVENTIONS IS TODAY’S DEMAND’’

            Adverse reactions are a recognised hazard of drug therapy. They are a major clinical problem accounting for 2-6% of all hospital admissions. ADR study and its preventions is today’s demand because ADR is the fourth leading cause of death ahead of pulmonary disease, diabetes, AIDS, pneumonia, accidents, and automobile deaths. In many countries ADRs rank among the top 10 leading causes of mortality. It causes significant financial burden on national health budget.

              ADRs are important causes of mortality and morbidity in both hospitalised and ambulatory patients. Many ADRs are due irrational prescribing under diagnosis .More than four drugs in one prescription may lead to ADRs. 8-10% of hospital admissions may develop ADRs. Over to million serious ADRs reported yearly one lakh deaths yearly caused due to ADRs. It adversely affects the patients’ quality of life. It causes patients to lose confidence in their doctors. It increases costs of patients care and may mimic disease resulting in unnecessary investigations and delay in treatment.  India is a country with significant drug use problems. Availability of prescription drugs over the counter, the simultaneous practice of different systems of health care and lack of awareness of rational drug use in the community have given rise to problems, including widespread antibiotic resistance and the occurrence of drug induced illness. It is generally believed that the non- availability of prescribing guidelines, the number of drugs prescribed are high, the ever increasing number of new drugs in the market, the lack of formal system for monitoring adverse drug reactions, and the lack of restrictions on the use of a large variety of drugs in health care delivery in the private sector may result in a higher incidence of adverse drug reactions. ADR monitoring and reporting activity is in its infancy in India.

           There is a need to study ADRs seriously to create awareness about ADRs among patients to motivate health care professionals in the hospital to report ADRs to minimise the risk. Early detection, evaluation and monitoring of ADRs are essential to reduce harm to patients and then improve public health. ADR monitoring and reporting program in a hospital encourages ADR surveillance, facilitate ADR documentation, promotes the reporting of ADRs provides  a mechanism for monitoring the safety of drug use in high risk patient populations and enhances the education of health professionals regarding potential ADRs.

Lisa Mary Mani

Second M pharm(  Dept of pharmacy practice)

Al- shifa college of pharmacy.