ISMP Look-Alike Sound-Alike Drug Names

Question 1

ISMP defines 'look-alike/sound-alike' (LASA) drug pairs as medications that:

Accepted Answer

Have names or packaging that can be confused with one another

Answer

LASA drug pairs have names or appearances so similar that they can be confused during ordering, dispensing, or administration, leading to medication errors.

Question 2

Which ISMP-recommended strategy most directly prevents confusion between DOBUTamine and DOPamine?

Accepted Answer

Use tall man lettering to highlight the different portions of each name

Answer

Tall man lettering (DOBUTamine vs DOPamine) capitalizes the unique letters in each name, making visual differentiation easier at a glance.

Question 3

ISMP recommends that LASA drug pairs stored in pharmacies be:

Accepted Answer

Stored in separate locations with auxiliary warning labels

Answer

Separating LASA drugs in storage and adding auxiliary warning labels prevents accidental selection of the wrong drug during dispensing.

Question 4

Which pair is a classic ISMP LASA example involving look-alike packaging as well as name similarity?

Accepted Answer

Hydroxyzine and Hydralazine

Answer

Hydroxyzine (antihistamine/anxiolytic) and Hydralazine (antihypertensive) are a well-known LASA pair with similar names that have led to serious patient harm.

Question 5

Which technology does ISMP recommend to help pharmacists detect LASA errors during order processing?

Accepted Answer

Clinical decision support alerts in pharmacy information systems

Answer

Clinical decision support alerts in pharmacy systems flag potential LASA drug substitutions during order entry, prompting pharmacist verification.

ISMP - Institute for Safe Medication Practices Practice Test

ISMP - Institute for Safe Medication Practices Practice Test

ISMP Look-Alike Sound-Alike Drug Names