Interactions médicamenteuses chez les patients diabétiques admis aux urgences du CHU de Cocody (Abidjan - Cote d’ivoire)

Drug interactions in diabetic patients admitted to the emergency department of Cocody university Hospital (Abidjan-Ivory Coast)

Abstract

Diabetes is a chronic disease with a high worldwide prevalence and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In Ivory Coast, diabetic patients are generally elderly and often hypertensive, exposing them to polypharmacy that may lead to drug interactions (DIs). This study aims to analyze the prevalence, mechanisms, and drugs involved in DIs among diabetic patients admitted to the emergency department of Cocody University Hospital. A retrospective study was conducted between November and December 2024, involving 90 patient records totaling 146 prescriptions. More than half of the patients (51.1%) had at least one comorbidity, primarily arterial hypertension (76.1%). At least one DI was detected in 39 patients (43.3%), totaling 102 interactions. The constraint level "to be considered" accounted for 55.6% of cases. The most implicated drugs were perindopril (44 occurrences), co-amoxiclav (32), and heparin (32). The main clinical consequences were increased risk of hyperkalemia (47.1%), enhanced hypoglycemic effect (13.7%), and orthostatic hypotension (10.8%). This study highlights the prevalence of DIs in diabetic patients in the emergency department and underscores the importance of pharmaceutical prescription analysis by the hospital pharmacist.