Drug side effects as the probable cause of death. Results of the Berne Comprehensive Hospital Drug Monitoring Program
Zoppi, M.; Török, M.; Stoller-Güleryüz, D.; Winzenried, P.; Marty, H.; Hess, T.; Stucki, P.; Bickel, M.H.; Stocker, F.; Hoigné, R.
Schweizerische Medizinische Wochenschrift 112(49): 1808-1810
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0036-7672 PMID: 7178881 Document Number: 196508
During the years 1974-1980, 19 of 17,285 inpatients of the divisions of internal medicine of two teaching hospitals showed a probable or definite adverse drug reaction (ADR) which was considered to be a major cause of death. In 7 patients the decisive ADR occurred during the hospital stay. The overall mortality from ADR is 0.040%. For each therapeutic group of drugs the following rate of drug-related death was calculated: for anticoagulants 0.047% (3/6378 inpatients), for cardiac glycosides 0.016% (1/6368), for analgesic/antirheumatic drugs 0.014% (1/7112) and for cytostatic drugs 0.38% (2/531). In 12 patients the ADR was already present on hospital admission.