PAEDIATRIC DRUG THERAPY I—MEDICATION USE IN HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS

Medication use was studied prospectively in 97 hospitalized paediatric patients at a children's hospital. An average of 4.8 scheduled drugs were used per patient. Antibiotics and anticonvulsants were the two most commonly used drug classes. Penicillins, anticonvulsants, aminoglycosides, cephalosporins, and theophylline were most frequently prescribed in our patients. A wide range of doses was used for drugs with narrow therapeutic indices. Most potential drug-drug interactions involved an anticonvulsant with another drug. These data may assist in targeting drug utilization review studies and educational programs justifiably to retain existing positions or create new opportunities within the departments of pharmacy to optimize patient care.