Analysis of possible food/nutrient and drug interactions in hospitalized patients.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the prescription in relation to the possible interactions between drugs and foods/nutrients in the diets of patients in the Hospital Regional Justino Luz in the municipality of Picos, Piauí, Brazil. METHODS The sample consisted of 60 medical records of patients admitted at the hospital. The records were analyzed according to the presence or absence of interactions between drugs and foods/nutrients of the prescribed diets. RESULTS Of the 82 drugs prescribed in all periods, there were 16 drugs (19.5%) with possible interaction with food, a total of 60 interactions between nutrient/food and medicine. Thus, 18 (30%), 10 (17%) and 8 (13%) possible interactions were identified with captopril (cardiovascular drug) with acetylsalicylic acid (anti-inflammatory) and spironolactone (diuretic), respectively representing the highest numbers of interactions among the classes of investigated drugs. It was also found that the total interactions between food/nutrients and drugs, 32 (53%) accounted for interactions with cardiovascular drugs, 13 (22%) with anti-inflammatory drugs, 11 (18%) with diuretic agents e 4 (7%) with drugs that act on the digestive tract. CONCLUSION There was a high number of interactions between food/nutrients and medicines emphasizing the need for prior knowledge of these interactions as a way to avoid impairment in the treatment, longer hospital stays and/or damage to the nutritional status of the patients.