Potential drug-drug interactions in hospitalized patients with acute coronary syndrome at a tertiary care hospital in upper Egypt

Background: Potential drug-drug Interactions (pDDIs) are a serious concern in cardiovascular patients and are responsible for most adverse drug reactions and drug-related hospital admissions. Clinically significant pDDIs may injure patients, create adverse outcomes, and impact healthcare costs. Therefore, pDDIs control is critical for the improvement of prescription drug safety. Aim: The present study aimed to assess potential pDDIs among cardiovascular patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Upper Egypt. Methods: A prospective observational study was performed on acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients attending Assiut University Heart Hospital. The Lexi-Interact online was used to assess pDDIs. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with pDDIs. Results: A total of 371 patients attending Assiut University Heart Hospital were recruited for the study. A total of 2,504 pDDIs were detected among the patients. The mean number of drugs prescribed per patient was 7.78 ± 1.73. Class C, D, and X DDIs were found in 74.76%, 10.02%, and 0.04%, respectively. Aspirin and ticagrelor were the most prevalent pDDIs under category D (232, 92.4%). A combination of ramipril and aspirin was the most frequently encountered interacting pair in the class C (281, 17.2%). STEMI patients, length of hospital stay, and a higher number of prescribed drugs were significantly associated with the occurrence of pDDIs, according to multiple logistic regression. Conclusion: Patients with ACS were frequently exposed to pDDIs with the highest drug-related problems, treatment failure, and negative consequences. Therefore, clinical pharmacists ought to be more involved in managing complex drug regimens and improving therapeutic outcomes.