Objective:To analyze potential intravenous drug interactions, and their level of severity associated with the administration of these drugs based on the prescriptions of an intensive care unit. Method: Quantitative study, with a retrospective exploratory design, and descriptive statistical analysis of the ICU prescriptions of a teaching hospital from March to June 2014. Results: The sample consisted of 319 prescriptions and subsamples of 50 prescriptions. The mean number of drugs per patient was 9.3 records, and a higher probability of drug interaction inherent to polypharmacy was evidenced. The study identified severe drug interactions, such as concomitant administration of Tramadol with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor drugs (e.g., Metoclopramide and Fluconazole), increasing the risk of seizures due to their epileptogenic actions, as well as the simultaneous use of Ranitidine-Fentanyl®, which can lead to respiratory depression. Conclusion: A previous mapping of prescriptions enables the characterization of the drug therapy, contributing to prevent potential drug interactions and their clinical consequences.

Revisão integrativa de literatura realizada em sete bases de dados, com objetivo de analisar a produção científica sobre as potenciais incompatibilidades medicamentosas em terapia intensiva e mapear os medicamentos incompatíveis de maior prevalência descritos na literatura. Os filtros aplicados foram: artigos disponíveis na íntegra, publicações do período de 2009 a 2016 nos idiomas português, inglês e/ou espanhol, totalizando 11 artigos ao término da seleção.  A partir da revisão, observou-se que os medicamentos fenitoína e pantoprazol são os principais responsáveis pelas incompatibilidades medicamentosas nas unidades de terapia intensiva. O bloqueio das incompatibilidades pode ser realizado por meio de medidas simples implementadas rotineiramente pela enfermagem, tais como o aprazamento de medicamentos otimizado, a administração em vias venosas separadas de medicamentos sabidamente incompatíveis, a padronização da forma de diluição e administração de medicamentos, focando, principalmente, nos medicamentos incompatíveis de maior prevalência encontrados no estudo.

Objective To analyze potential Drug-Food Interactions identified in prescriptions of patients admitted to the Cardiology Unit of a university hospital. Methods This is a descriptive, cross-sectional quantitative study carried out in the Cardiology Unit of a university hospital in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Data collection took place in archived medical records of hospitalized patients between August and September, 2016. Results In each prescription, there were on average 7.5 drugs mentioned (Standard Deviation of 2.1). Most were tablets (93%) and antihypertensive drugs (40%). Two hundred and fifty two potential Drug-Food Interactions were identified. Acetylsalicylic acid and omeprazole were the most potentially interactive drugs. Conclusion Drug-Food Interactions occur with commonly used drugs, for example omeprazole and acetylsalicylic acid. However, health teams do not know or identify a substantial part of interactions. This factor leads to an exposure to risks related to changes in drug response and patient safety.