Potential drug–drug interactions among elderly patients admitted to medical ward of Ayder Referral Hospital Northern Ethiopia: a cross sectional study

摘要

BackgroundThe elderly are considered as special population, as they differ from younger adults in terms of comorbidity, polypharmacy, pharmacokinetics, vulnerability to drug–drug interactions and adverse drug reactions. Despite the fact that the elderly patients are at high risk of having drug interaction and potential adverse outcomes, studies in this regard are scarce in resource limited settings like Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and determinants of potential drug–drug interaction in elderly patients admitted to medical ward of Ayder Referral Hospital in Northern Ethiopia.