Review
Clinical review: Medication errors in critical care
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* Corresponding author: Henry T Stelfox tom.stelfox@calgaryhealthregion.ca
Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary, Foothills Medical Centre, EG23A, 1403-29 Street NW, Calgary, AB, Canada, T2N 2T9
Critical Care 2008, 12:208 doi:10.1186/cc6813
See related commentary by Parshoram, http://ccforum.com/content/12/2/137
Published: 12 March 2008Abstract
Medication errors in critical care are frequent, serious, and predictable. Critically ill patients are prescribed twice as many medications as patients outside of the intensive care unit (ICU) and nearly all will suffer a potentially life-threatening error at some point during their stay. The aim of this article is to provide a basic review of medication errors in the ICU, identify risk factors for medication errors, and suggest strategies to prevent errors and manage their consequences.