A multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals and medication safety experts have developed the first national consensus list of medicines with a high risk of harm in Australian residential aged care, which can be identified with the mnemonic OZ-ABCD.
Researchers identified 15 medications or medication classes that carry a significant risk of serious harm or death if misused or used in error, and require specialised monitoring in aged care settings.
The team noted that while health professionals and health service organisations are required to have systems in place to identify and mitigate the risks associated with high-risk medications specific to their setting, existing high-risk medication lists are not tailored to the unique and complex needs of aged care.
Dr Amanda Cross, pharmacist and a senior research fellow from the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, said the "OZ-ABCD" mnemonic she developed fills a "critical void" in Australia's aged care safety resources.
"The OZ-ABCD tool gives busy clinicians and aged care staff a simple, memorable way to identify high-risk medications and ensure systems and monitoring are in place to keep residents safe," Dr Cross said.
The OZ-ABCD mnemonic stands for Opioids, Z-drugs and benzodiazepines, Antipsychotics and lithium, Blood thinners, Chemotherapeutic agents and methotrexate, and Diabetes agents with high risk of hypoglycaemia.
The team said the tool will support better education and clinical practice, ultimately reducing the incidence of preventable medication-related injuries among vulnerable older Australians.
Read the paper HERE. KB
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