Extensive drug surveillance--a pilot study.

The aim of this Extensive Drug Surveillance programme was to develop a system of drug monitoring suitable for detecting adverse drug reactions in hospitalised patients. The monitored field was a general medical ward in the Royal Adelaide Hospital and monitoring was carried out for a period of one month (September 1974). A total of 85 patients (45 males and 40 females) were monitored and in 14 of them adverse reactions were noted. The overall incidence of such reactions was 16.5%. A greater intake of drugs was a significant finding in patients who experienced adverse reactions. Coupled with this was the observation that patients who stayed longer in hospital had a greater number of drugs administered to them. A third finding was the higher incidence of reactions in female patients.