Incidence of Adverse Drug Reactions in Patients on Antiretroviral Therapy: A Study of Pharmaceutical Care in HIV Interventions in A Tertiary Health Facility in Southern Nigeria

Abstract

Antiretroviral drugs are used to prolong and improve the quality of life for those infected, but this therapy has associated side effects and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of varying degrees in frequency and severity. A better understanding of adverse effects is of interest not only to the HIV specialists as they try to optimize on therapy but also to the patient who may not be aware of these adverse reactions due to the multiple symptoms associated with the AIDS syndrome. Not much is known about ADRs in Nigeria.  The objective of this study was to determine the incidence and management of various ADRs occurring in patients accessing treatment and care at Dr. Lawrence Henshaw Memorial Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria. The study was a Cross-sectional retrospective study conducted by reviewing patient data from the pharmaceutical monthly summary form from May 2012 to-June 2013. Majority of the clients, 73(63%) were males while 43(37%) were females, 116 clients were screen for ADR and out of this number 84(72%) had an adverse drug reaction of various severity grades. The reported incidence of ADR was much higher among male clients 54(74%) than the female clients 30(70%). Interventions were provided for clients who reported ADR and the Number of clients documented for Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) interventions were 84(100%), some clients were provided with more than one ADR interventions.

Keywords: ADRs, HIV., Intervention , Antiretroviral drugs