A Review on Adverse Drug Reactions

Abstract

Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) became as one of the global problems that affect both children and adults with varying intensities. A significant number of ADRs may occur in elderly due to the contribution of drug-drug interactions, who are under polypharmacy. Various definitions are available all over the world in case of ADRs. But the definition by the World health organization was well adopted and widely accepted by many countries across the world. To promote the identification and reporting of ADRs and also to ensure and enhance the patient safety certain measures has to be taken by all health care professionals. The contribution of health care professionals, in regard to ADRs database is very much important and has encouraged the ongoing certainty of benefit risk ratio of drugs and also contributed to detect the unusual ADRs which are undetected during the basic evaluation of the drug. Pharmacists have a vital role in the maintenance of drug safety by contributing towards the prevention, detection, documentation and reporting of ADRs. The hospital or clinical pharmacist should actively participate in the area of pharmacovigilence in order to strengthen the National pharmacovigilance program.