Epidemiology of drug‐related deaths in European hospitals: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of observational studies

Limited data identified (6 retrospective studies); medicines-related death (MRD) occurrences rates were 7.3% among deceased inpatients, 0.13% among hospitalised patients (HPs). During hospitalisation, acquired‐MRD represented 2.7% inpatient deaths and occurred in 0.05% HPs.

SPS commentary:

The two most common ADRs related to death were haemorrhages and infections in drug-immunosuppressed patients, which was similar to other meta-analyses or population-based studies. Both these ADRs are type A, so are dose dependent, augmented pharmacological effects, predictable and potentially avoidable reactions. Accordingly, two pharmacological groups were responsible for most ADRs, chemotherapy and antithrombotic agents, which was similar to the findings of other meta-analyses. Drug-drug interactions were present in more than a third of deceased patients, mainly due to pharmacodynamic interactions.

British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology