Impact of Vanessa's Law on the Reporting of Serious Adverse Events: A Retrospective Study Among Antiplatelet Users in a Tertiary-Care Cardiology Centre

Background

Antiplatelet drugs, such as clopidogrel, ticagrelor, prasugrel, and acetylsalicylic acid, may be associated with a risk of adverse events (AEs). Vanessa's Law was enacted to strengthen regulations to protect Canadians from drug-related side effects (with mandatory reporting of serious adverse events [SAEs]).

Objective

To determine whether Vanessa's Law has led to an increase in SAE reporting among antiplatelet users.

Methods

This descriptive retrospective study was conducted from January, 2018-December, 2021. Included are 260 adult antiplatelet users (cohorts: 2018 [n = 64]; 2019 [n = 79]; 2020 [n = 73]; 2021 [n = 44]) hospitalized at the Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec - Université Laval. The main diagnostic of hospitalization was coded using the International Classification of Diseases,10th revision, Canadian version, and data related to demographic characteristics, hospitalization length-of-stay, drugs administered, and AEs were extracted.

Results

The 260 antiplatelet users were hospitalized mainly for diseases of the circulatory system (codes [I00-I99]; 2018, 75 %; 2019, 71 %; 2020, 71 %; 2021, 77 %) or diseases of the respiratory system (codes [J00-J99]; 2018, 6 %; 2019, 8 %; 2020, 4 %; 2021, 7 %). The median age was 70 years. The median duration of hospital stay was 3 days. Among the 1395 AEs recorded during the study, 12 % were SAEs. None of the SAEs (or AEs) was reported to Health Canada, either before or after Vanessa's Law implementation.

Conclusions

These results provide the first picture of reporting trends for SAEs among antiplatelet users in Canada. Investigation of the underreporting of SAEs is needed, as the implementation of a mandatory policy does not seem to have had a favourable impact.

Clinical Trial Registration

135263.

Adverse Drug Reactions and Potentially Inappropriate Medication in Older Patients: Analysis of the Portuguese Pharmacovigilance Database

Criteria have been developed to identify potentially inappropriate medications that can enhance adverse reactions, highly prevalent in older patient’s therapy. This study aimed to identify potentially inappropriate medications within the adverse drug reactions reported in the Portuguese pharmacovigilance system, characterizing the reports where inappropriate medications were identified. INFARMED, I.P. provided all adverse drug reactions reported from January to December 2019 in 65-year-old and older patients. Adverse drug reactions were characterized according to the System Organs Classes, seriousness, and medications with the Anatomical Therapeutical Classification. Potentially inappropriate medications were identified by applying the EU-(7)-PIM and the Beers criteria. A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. From the 2337 reports considered for the analysis, PIMs were found in 12.8% of these, and 64.7% of all adverse reaction reports were classified as serious. Within the group of reports including at least one PIM, 71.4% were classified as serious, with hospitalization the most common criteria (35.1%). From the 3170 suspected medicines identified, 10.6% were classified as PIMs. Amiodarone was the most frequent PIM identified in the study (10.1%). Reports including at least one PIM were more associated with a higher number of ADRs (p = 0.025) reported in the same record, higher number of suspected medicines identified (p < 0.001), seriousness (p = 0.005), and hospitalization (p < 0.001). Potentially inappropriate medications are important enhancers of serious adverse drug reactions, increasing the likelihood of hospitalizations. This reinforces the importance of improving medication appropriateness in the older population.

Adverse drug reactions in elderly: a five-year review of spontaneous reports to the Portuguese pharmacovigilance system

Background: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality in elderly. This study aimed to characterize the ADRs profile in Portuguese elderly patients, thus enhancing ADRs knowledge in this vulnerable population. Methods: All spontaneous ADRs reported to the Portuguese Pharmacovigilance System from 2013 to 2017 were examined. However, considering the aim of this study, ADRs referring to patients aged 65 and over were analyzed in higher detail and compared with those reported in non-elderly adults. Results: Considering the age of 65 years and above, 3692 spontaneous reports of suspected ADRs were analyzed. The suspected ADRs most frequently reported fall within the categories of general disorders and administration site conditions, and skin and subcutaneous tissue complaints. Regarding therapeutic agents, the antineoplastic drugs were the most common involved. Among the 2458 cases of serious ADRs reported, 34.0% led to hospitalization and in 5.8% of them occurred a fatal outcome. The antineoplastic and antithrombotic drugs were the most represented pharmacotherapeutic groups of suspected drugs involved in patient's death (25.0% and 13.6%, respectively). Conclusions: Most of the suspected ADRs were classified as serious. The majority of them were expected, so preventable, highlighting the importance of improving medication use in elderly.