Evaluation of prescription containing medication via enteral feeding tubes in an adult emergency unit

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to evaluate medication prescriptions to be used by a feeding tube in an emergency unit, identify and classify the problems with the prescriptions and suggest interventions, done by a pharmacist, when necessary. Also aims to develop a guide with information about administering medication through the feeding tube in order to help the health care team. Methods: the study is characterized as a quantitative cross-sectional study, with data collected during March to September of 2019 at an adult emergency unit, a total of 47 prescriptions were analyzed by a pharmacist and 138 drugs were prescripted to be administered through a feeding tube. Results: A total of 18.8% of those medications presented some restriction to be administered by the feeding tube. The most common problems observed were the loss or reduction of therapeutic effect present in 61,6% of the cases, followed by drug-food interactions with 30.8%. About the pharmaceutical intervention more performed was requesting to change the pharmaceutical form (36%), followed by orientation about stop the enteral feeding (30.2%). To the elaboration of the guide for the health care team, 181 medications standardized at the hospital were analyzed, of that 33.1% presented some restriction to administer by feeding tube and only 35% presented another pharmaceutical form for substitution. Conclusion: it was possible to note the importance of pharmaceutical evaluation of prescriptions to identify errors and prevent future problems assuring the patient’s safety. The guide elaboration sought to assist and optimize the process of medication administration by feeding tube guaranteeing the safety and effectiveness of pharmacotherapy.