Using drug knowledgebase information to distinguish between look-alike-sound-alike drugs. (22nd May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cheng, Christine M; Salazar, Alejandra; Amato, Mary G; Lambert, Bruce L; Volk, Lynn A; Schiff, Gordon D
• Is Part Of: Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association. Volume 25:Number 7(2018)
• Page Start: 872
• Page End: 884
• Publication Date: 2018-05-22
• Subjects: indications -- look-alike-sound-alike -- LASA -- medication safety; Medical informatics -- Periodicals; Information Services -- Periodicals; Medical Informatics -- Periodicals; Médecine -- Informatique -- Périodiques; Informatica; Geneeskunde; Informatique médicale; Computer network resources; Electronic journals; 610.285
• DOI: 10.1093/jamia/ocy043
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1067-5027

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: To extract drug indications from a commercial drug knowledgebase and determine to what extent drug indications can discriminate between look-alike-sound-alike (LASA) drugs. Methods: We extracted drug indications disease concepts from the MedKnowledge Indications module from First Databank Inc. (South San Francisco, CA) and associated them with drugs on the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) list of commonly confused drug names. We used high-level concepts (rather than granular concepts) to represent the general indications for each drug. Two pharmacists reviewed each drug's association with its high-level indications concepts for accuracy and clinical relevance. We compared the high-level indications for each commonly confused drug pair and categorized each pair as having a complete overlap, partial overlap or no overlap in high-level indications. Results: Of 278 LASA drug pairs, 165 (59%) had no overlap and 58 (21%) had partial overlap in high-level indications. Fifty-five pairs (20%) had complete overlap in high-level indications; nearly half of these were comprised of drugs with the same active ingredient and route of administration (e.g., Adderall, Adderall XR ). Conclusions: Drug indications data from a drug knowledgebase can discriminate between many LASA drugs.