Iatrogenic @entity1443 @entity137 is a potentially life-threatening yet avoidable cause of @entity879 . Unfortunately, several cases have recently been reported nationally (1,2). The impetus behind our project was a recent case of iatrogenic @entity1443 induced hepatotoxicity within our trust, a London-based District General Hospital. According to the British National Formulary, for adults weighing 10-50kg the intravenous (IV) dose is 15mg/kg every 4-6hours (max. 60mg/kg daily), not the usual 1 gram QDS oral dose which is applied irrespective of weight (3). We audited 100 adult @entity1 in April 2013 and re-audited in July 2013. Both of the randomly selected samples consisted of an equal number of surgical and medical @entity1 , with an equal gender ratio. Data of interest included whether @entity1 were on IV @entity1443 , appropriately dosed; if and when @entity1 had been weighed during admission; and whether the @entity158 ladder of analgesia was followed. Identified shortcomings included @entity1 weight on admission not being recorded, and IV @entity1443 dose adjustment not being made in @entity1 <50kg. 3 months were spent raising awareness of the importance to record @entity1 weights and to dose-adjust IV @entity1443 when indicated. @entity1 weighed on admission improved from 37% to 68% (p<0.0001) and those on the inappropriate dose of @entity1443 fell from 18 (25% of the @entity1 on @entity1443 ) to 5 (5.75% of the @entity1 on @entity1443 ) p=0.0013. There was a marked improvement in the number of @entity1 with the weight written on their drug chart from 27% to 53% post-intervention. (p=0.0003) In conclusion, every @entity1 should be weighed on admission. In order to prevent potential hepatotoxicity, staff should document @entity1 weights on the drug charts and be aware of the fact that @entity1 who weigh <50 kg should be on a 15 mg/kg/dose of IV @entity1443 , not 1 gram QDS.

Weight a minute - iatrogenic XXXX @entity137 is preventable by utilisation of well-designed drug charts.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['Patients', 'patients', 'patient'] @entity137 :: ('MESH:D064420', 'Disease') :: ['toxicity'] @entity879 :: ('MESH:D017114', 'Disease') :: ['acute liver failure'] @entity158 :: ('MESH:D010146', 'Disease') :: ['WHO pain'] @entity1443 :: ('MESH:D000082', 'Chemical') :: ['Paracetamol']
@entity1443 :: (MESH:D000082,Chemical) :: ['paracetamol']
