Drug Safety
There is growing concern about the number of older Americans who receive medications offering more potential risks than benefits. Providers need to be aware of the risk of drug-drug and drug-disease interactions as well as potentially inappropriate medications to avoid adverse drug events.
Kansas Foundation for Medical Care, Inc. is working to reduce the prescribing of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and patient exposure to significant drug-drug interactions (DDIs) with warfarin (Coumadin®) in Douglas County, Kansas.
The use of PIMs has been associated with greater adverse drug events, increased utilization of emergency departments, hospitalizations and other healthcare expenditures. DDI s are a widely recognized health issue resulting in increased morbidity and mortality.