Unveiling Drug-Drug Interactions in Dental Patients: A Retrospective Real-World Study
<b>Background</b>: Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) are a growing safety concern in dental care, particularly among patients with comorbidities and polypharmacy. However, real-world data (RWD) on the prevalence and severity of DDIs in dental settings remain scarce. <b>Objectives</b...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Dentistry Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6767/13/6/255 |
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| Summary: | <b>Background</b>: Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) are a growing safety concern in dental care, particularly among patients with comorbidities and polypharmacy. However, real-world data (RWD) on the prevalence and severity of DDIs in dental settings remain scarce. <b>Objectives</b>: This study aimed to assess the frequency, severity, and clinical relevance of DDIs in dental patients and to identify age- and comorbidity-related risk patterns. <b>Methods</b>: This retrospective study analyzed a cohort of 105 dental patients, considering demographics, preexisting diseases, dental procedures, and prescribed medications. We examined drug-drug interactions (DDIs) employing the DrugBank Drug Interaction Checker, which yields DDI severity into major, moderate, or minor. <b>Results</b>: 45.7% of patients had preexisting diseases, with cardiovascular diseases most prevalent (19.0%). Higher prevalent dental diagnoses and procedures included apical lesions (47.6%) and tooth extractions (53.3%), suggesting frequent pharmacotherapy exposure. We identified 542 DDIs out of 1332 drug pairs and found 2.3% major, 25.0% moderate, and 13.4% minor, with 59.3% showing no interactions. Key high-risk DDIs included epinephrine with beta-blockers. Fifteen patients aged 31–60 years experienced the most major DDIs of 61.3%, patients ≥ 61 years faced 38.7%, and the 0–30 group had none, highlighting age-specific risks. The higher DDIs burden in the 31–60 age group may reflect better knowledge of the drugs they used and accurate reporting of them. <b>Conclusions</b>: Our retrospective study addresses the paucity of dental DDIs real-world data (RWD) studies, pleading for improved drug reconciliation, systematic screening, and age- and comorbidity-tailored strategies to enhance patient safety. |
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| ISSN: | 2304-6767 |