Drug Interactions and Safety Flashcards

What is serotonin syndrome and which drug combinations increase its risk?

Answer: A potentially life-threatening condition caused by excess serotonin from combinations like SSRIs with tramadol, MAOIs, or triptans

Serotonin syndrome results from excessive serotonergic activity, commonly triggered by combining SSRIs/SNRIs with MAOIs, tramadol, triptans, or linezolid, presenting with agitation, hyperthermia, and neuromuscular changes.

What is the QT prolongation risk that DHA pharmacists must screen for?

Answer: Certain medications (macrolides, fluoroquinolones, antipsychotics, antiemetics) can prolong the QT interval, risking fatal cardiac arrhythmias

DHA pharmacists must screen for QT-prolonging drug combinations including macrolides (azithromycin), fluoroquinolones (moxifloxacin), antipsychotics (haloperidol), and antiemetics (ondansetron), especially in patients with risk factors.

What are the key drug-food interactions DHA pharmacists must counsel patients about?

Answer: Grapefruit with statins/CCBs, dairy with fluoroquinolones/tetracyclines, vitamin K-rich foods with warfarin, and tyramine-rich foods with MAOIs

Key drug-food interactions include grapefruit inhibiting CYP3A4 (affecting statins, CCBs), dairy chelating antibiotics, vitamin K-rich foods opposing warfarin, and tyramine-containing foods causing hypertensive crisis with MAOIs.

What is the clinical significance of CYP450 enzyme interactions for DHA pharmacists?

Answer: CYP450 enzyme inhibition or induction can significantly alter drug levels, causing toxicity or therapeutic failure

CYP450 enzyme interactions are clinically critical: inhibitors (ketoconazole, erythromycin) increase drug levels risking toxicity, while inducers (rifampicin, carbamazepine) decrease levels causing therapeutic failure.

What is the pharmacist's role in preventing adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in Dubai?

Answer: Screen prescriptions for interactions, assess patient risk factors, adjust doses for renal/hepatic impairment, and monitor for early ADR signs

DHA pharmacists prevent ADRs through proactive screening of prescriptions for interactions and contraindications, assessing individual risk factors, recommending dose adjustments, and educating patients on warning signs.

What are the risks of polypharmacy in elderly patients that DHA pharmacists must address?

Answer: Increased risk of drug interactions, adverse effects, falls, cognitive impairment, non-adherence, and medication cascade

Polypharmacy in elderly patients increases risks of drug interactions, ADRs, falls (from sedatives, antihypertensives), cognitive decline, poor adherence, and medication cascading (treating side effects with more drugs).