Analgesics Involved In Greatest Number of Medication Errors

A new study shows that most nursing home medication errors involve analgesics.

"Analgesics" refers to a wide range of painkillers, including acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and opioids, such as morphine. This group of drugs accounts for 12.3 percent of errors.

The findings show that these drugs are more likely to be involved in medication errors regardless of how much they are used in a given facility.

After analgesics, the other drugs commonly involved in errors are:

1. Anxiolytics/sedatives/hypnotics
2. Antidiabetic agents
3. Anticoagulants
4. Anticonvulsants
5. Antidepressants
6. Laxatives
7. Opthalmic preparations
8. Antipsychotics
9. Diuretics

To learn more, click here.