Drug-Related Deaths Among Medical Inpatients

Abstract

Among 26,462 carefully monitored medical inpatients, 24, or 0.9 per 1,000, were considered to have died as a result of a drug or group of drugs. Most of the patients were seriously ill prior to the event that caused death. Six of the deaths—five from fluid overload and one from excessive potassium therapy—may have been preventable. (JAMA 237:879-881, 1977)