Adverse drug reactions and polypharmacy in cardiac patients

Results At the time when interviews took place, patients received on average 8.0 ± 2.6 medicines (2–17). In total, 67 patients (33%) had 75 ADR. Twenty one ADR (28%) are classified as serious. Fifty four ADR resulted in the recovery of the patient (72%), eight had as an outcome prolonged hospitalization (11%), another eight were life threatening (11%), while five ADR (6%) were the cause of the hospitalization. The most frequent ADR which had as an outcome admission to hospital were caused by digoxin (40%), prolonged hospital stay by furosemide (38%), while the most frequent registered ADR which were life threatening were caused by streptokinase (50%).