Journal Top Ten, Columns-Drugs & Supplements, July 2005

ARTICLE: "Potential for drug interactions in hospitalized cancer patients."

JOURNAL: Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology. 2005 Sep;56(3):286-90. Epub 2005 Feb 25.

OBJECTIVES: To quantify the frequency of potential drug interactions unrelated to chemotherapy in cancer patients admitted to the researchers' institution, and to define risk factors for such interactions.

METHODS: Charts of 100 consecutive hospitalized cancer patients were reviewed. Patients receiving chemotherapy and/or hormone therapy were excluded, as were patients admitted for intensive care. Potential interactions were graded by levels of severity (severe, moderate, minor) and significance (one to five, with …