Introduction:Prescription and most over-the-counter medicines are required to have child-resistant packaging and/or labeled with instructions "Keep out of reach of children." Although medication organizers are not required to have such design features or instructions, these could help prevent unsupervised ingestions by children. Commonly purchased medication organizers were evaluated for child-resistant design features and instructions for safe use to prevent unsupervised ingestions.Methods:The 29 best-selling medication organizers on Amazon.com were identified, and product identifiers, design characteristics, and safety characteristics were recorded using a standardized instrument.Results:Of the 29 medication organizers, none claimed to be child resistant. Only 31% provided a specific warning that the organizer was not child resistant on the packaging; only 41% communicated "Keep out of reach of children." Most organizers (59%) provided neither a warning that the organizer was not child resistant nor instructions to store out of reach of children. The majority of organizers (79%) shared the following characteristics: plastic construction, rectangular shape, nonelectronic flip-top opening mechanisms, and 7-day usage.Conclusions:Opportunities exist for manufacturers of medication organizers to improve child-resistant product design, provide information to help prevent unsupervised ingestions (directions to keep the device out of the reach of children), and help to reduce unsupervised ingestions.

OBJECTIVE : A 2015 survey of primary care providers (PCPs) found that while many believed that milliliter (mL)-only dosing was safest for oral liquid medications, few would use mL alone in dosing instructions. Since 2015, many recommendations have promoted "mL-only" dosing. In 2019, a follow-up survey was conducted to assess if PCP perceptions and practices have changed. METHODS : Pediatricians, family medicine physicians, nurse practitioners, and internists participating in the 2015 and 2019 DocStyles cross-sectional, web-based surveys were asked about their perceptions and practices regarding dosing units for oral liquid medications. RESULTS : In 2019, among 1392 respondents, the proportion of PCPs who reported they believed using mL-only is the safest dosing instruction ranged from 55.1% of internists to 80.8% of pediatricians. While fewer PCPs believed patients/caregivers prefer dosing instructions in mL-only (23.9% of nurse practitioners to 48.4% of pediatricians), more held this belief in 2019 compared to 2015; pediatricians had the greatest absolute increase (+14.4%) and family medicine physicians had the smallest increase (+1.3%). While 61.6% of pediatricians reported they would use mL-only dosing, only 36.0% of internists, 36.6% of nurse practitioners, and 42.5% of family medicine physicians reported they would do so. After controlling for age, gender, region, and specialty, 2019 PCP survey participants were more likely to report that they would use mLonly dosing compared to 2015 participants (adjusted odds ratio 1.51, 95% confidence interval 1.29-1.77). CONCLUSIONS : Broader educational efforts may be necessary to reach nonpediatricians, to encourage prescribing and communication with patients/caregivers using mL-only dosing.

BACKGROUND: After reports of increasing emergency department (ED) visits for unsupervised pediatric medication exposures in the 2000s, renewed efforts to improve safety packaging and education were initiated. National data on current trends can help further target interventions. METHODS: We used nationally representative data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System–Cooperative Adverse Drug Event Surveillance project (2004–2013) to assess trends in ED visits for unsupervised medication exposures in children aged <6 years. For 2010 through 2013, the dosage form and prescription status of implicated medications were identified. RESULTS: Based on 13 268 cases, there were an estimated 640 161 ED visits (95% confidence interval: 512 885 to 767 436) for unsupervised medication exposures from 2004 through 2013. From 2004 through 2010, ED visits for unsupervised exposures increased by an average of 5.7% annually, peaking at 75 842. After 2010, this trend reversed, and visits decreased by an average of 6.7% annually to 59 092 in 2013. From 2010 through 2013, 91.0% of unsupervised exposure visits involved 1 medication, most commonly an oral prescription solid (45.9%), oral over-the-counter (OTC) solid (22.3%), or oral OTC liquid (12.4%). More than 260 different prescription solids were implicated; opioids (13.8%) and benzodiazepines (12.7%) were the most common classes. Four medications were implicated in 91.2% of OTC liquid exposure visits: acetaminophen (32.9%), cough and cold remedies (27.5%), ibuprofen (15.7%), and diphenhydramine (15.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Targeting prevention efforts based on harm frequency and intervention feasibility can lead to continued reductions in ED visits for pediatric medication exposures.

Background: Clinical trials suggest lower rates of major bleeding with direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) than with warfarin, but anticoagulant-related bleeding remains one of the most common outpatient adverse drug events.Methods: We estimated the number of ED visits for oral anticoagulant-related bleeding in 2016-2020 based on active surveillance in a nationally-representative, size-stratified probability sample of 60 U.S. hospitals. We estimated rates of ED visits using a nationally-projected retail prescription dispensing database.Results: Based on 19,557 cases, oral anticoagulant-related bleeding resulted in an estimated 1,270,259 (95% Confidence Interval [CI], 644,686-1,895,832) ED visits for the five years 2016-2020, of which 47.8%; (95% CI, 40.6%-55.0%) resulted in hospitalization. Oral anticoagulant-related bleeding resulted in an estimated 230,163 (109,598-350,728) ED visits in 2016 and 301,433 (138,363-464,503) in 2020. During 2016-2020, ED visits for DOAC-related bleeding increased by an average of 27.9% (95% CI 24.0%-32.0%; p<.001) per year, while ED visits for warfarin-related bleeding decreased by an average of 8.8% (95% CI -10.7- -7.0; p=.001). The estimated rate of bleeding visits per 100 patients dispensed oral anticoagulants at least once in 2016-2020 was highest for patients aged ≥80 years (13.1; 95% CI,6.2-20.0) and lowest for those aged <45 years (4.0; 95% CI,2.6-5.5).Conclusions: Although the rates of ED visits for anticoagulant-related bleeding may be lower for DOACs than for warfarin, persistently large numbers of patients requiring ED visits for anticoagulant-related bleeding despite increased use of DOACs and declining use of warfarin suggest that efforts to improve appropriate prescribing and monitoring of anticoagulants continue to be needed.

OBJECTIVE:Administrative claims are commonly relied upon to identify hypoglycemia. We assessed validity of 14 International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis code assignments to identify medication-related hypoglycemia leading to acute care encounters. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS:A multisite, retrospective medical record review study was conducted in a sample of Medicare beneficiaries prescribed outpatient diabetes medications and who received hospital care between January 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017. Diagnosis codes were validated with structured medical record review using prespecified criteria (clinical presentation, blood glucose values, and treatments for hypoglycemia). Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value (PPV, NPV) were calculated and adjusted using sampling weights to correct for partial verification bias. RESULTS:Among 990 encounters (496 cases, 494 controls), hypoglycemia codes demonstrated moderate PPV (69.2%; 95% confidence interval: 65.0-73.0) and moderate sensitivity (83.9%; 95% confidence interval: 70.0-95.5). Codes performed better at identifying hypoglycemic events among emergency department/observation encounters compared with hospitalizations (PPV 92.9%, sensitivity 100.0% vs. PPV 53.7%, sensitivity 71.0%). Accuracy varied by diagnosis position, especially for hospitalizations, with PPV of 95.6% versus 46.5% with hypoglycemia in primary versus secondary positions. Use of adverse event/poisoning codes did not improve accuracy; reliance on these codes alone would have missed 97% of true hypoglycemic events. CONCLUSIONS:Accuracy of International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes in administrative claims to identify medication-related hypoglycemia varied substantially by encounter type and diagnosis position. Consideration should be given to the trade-off between PPV and sensitivity when selecting codes, encounter types, and diagnosis positions to identify hypoglycemia.

Background Medication poisoning is a common form of self-harm injury, and increases in injuries due to self-harm, including suicide attempts, have been reported over the last two decades. Methods Cross-sectional (2016–2019) data from 60 emergency departments (EDs) participating in an active, nationally representative public health surveillance system were analysed and US national estimates of ED visits for medication-related self-harm injuries were calculated. Results Based on 18 074 surveillance cases, there were an estimated 269 198 (95% CI 222 059 to 316 337) ED visits for medication-related self-harm injuries annually in 2016–2019 compared with 1 404 090 visits annually from therapeutic use of medications. Population rates of medication-related self-harm ED visits were highest among persons aged 11–19 years (58.5 (95% CI 45.0 to 72.0) per 10 000) and lowest among those aged ≥65 years (6.6 (95% CI 4.4 to 8.8) per 10 000). Among persons aged 11–19 years, the ED visit rate for females was four times that for males (95.4 (95% CI 74.2 to 116.7) vs 23.0 (95% CI 16.4 to 29.6) per 10 000). Medical or psychiatric admission was required for three-quarters (75.1%; 95% CI 70.0% to 80.2%) of visits. Concurrent use of alcohol or illicit substances was documented in 40.2% (95% CI 36.8% to 43.7%) of visits, and multiple medication products were implicated in 38.6% (95% CI 36.8% to 40.4%). The most frequently implicated medication categories varied by patient age. Conclusions Medication-related self-harm injuries are an important contributor to the overall burden of ED visits and hospitalisations for medication-related harm, with the highest rates among adolescent and young adult females. These findings support continued prevention efforts targeting patients at risk of self-harm.

Monitoring COVID-19 vaccination coverage among nursing home residents and staff is important to ensure high coverage rates and guide patient-safety policies. With the termination of the federal Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program, another source of facility-based vaccination data is needed. We compared numbers of COVID-19 vaccinations administered to nursing home residents and staff reported by pharmacies participating in the temporary federal Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program with the numbers of COVID-19 vaccinations reported by nursing homes participating in new COVID-19 vaccination modules of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). Pearson correlation coefficients comparing the number vaccinated between the 2 approaches were 0.89, 0.96, and 0.97 for residents and 0.74, 0.90, and 0.90 for staff, in the weeks ending January 3, 10, and 17, 2021, respectively. Based on subsequent NHSN reporting, vaccination coverage with ≥1 vaccine dose reached 73.7% for residents and 47.6% for staff the week ending January 31 and increased incrementally through July 2021. Continued monitoring of COVID-19 vaccination coverage is important as new nursing home residents are admitted, new staff are hired, and additional doses of vaccine are recommended.

Residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs) and health care personnel (HCP) working in these facilities are at high risk for COVID-19-associated mortality. As of March 2021, deaths among LTCF residents and HCP have accounted for almost one third (approximately 182,000) of COVID-19-associated deaths in the United States (1). Accordingly, LTCF residents and HCP were prioritized for early receipt of COVID-19 vaccination and were targeted for on-site vaccination through the federal Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program (2). In December 2020, CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) launched COVID-19 vaccination modules, which allow U.S. LTCFs to voluntarily submit weekly facility-level COVID-19 vaccination data.* CDC analyzed data submitted during March 1-April 4, 2021, to describe COVID-19 vaccination coverage among a convenience sample of HCP working in LTCFs, by job category, and compare HCP vaccination coverage rates with social vulnerability metrics of the surrounding community using zip code tabulation area (zip code area) estimates. Through April 4, 2021, a total of 300 LTCFs nationwide, representing approximately 1.8% of LTCFs enrolled in NHSN, reported that 22,825 (56.8%) of 40,212 HCP completed COVID-19 vaccination.† Vaccination coverage was highest among physicians and advanced practice providers (75.1%) and lowest among nurses (56.7%) and aides (45.6%). Among aides (including certified nursing assistants, nurse aides, medication aides, and medication assistants), coverage was lower in facilities located in zip code areas with higher social vulnerability (social and structural factors associated with adverse health outcomes), corresponding to vaccination disparities present in the wider community (3). Additional efforts are needed to improve LTCF immunization policies and practices, build confidence in COVID-19 vaccines, and promote COVID-19 vaccination. CDC and partners have prepared education and training resources to help educate HCP and promote COVID-19 vaccination coverage among LTCF staff members.§.

Purpose. Best practices and guidance are provided for standardizing dosing instructions on prescription container labels of oral liquid medications by eliminating use of U.S. customary (household) units and adopting metric units universally, with the goal of decreasing the potential for error and improving safety and outcomes when patients and caregivers take and administer these medications.Summary. Despite decades of best practice use of metric units in organized healthcare settings and advocacy by various professional societies, medication safety experts, and standards setting organizations, use of household units (e.g., teaspoon) on prescription container labeling instructions for oral liquid medications persists in community pharmacy settings. Five years after publication of the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs' (NCPDP's) original white paper advocating metric-only dosing, very few community pharmacy companies appear to require oral liquid dosing instructions be presented in metric-only units (mL). Error-prone dosing designations contribute to medication errors and patient harm. Use of both multiple volumetric units (e.g., teaspoonful, tablespoonsful) and multiple abbreviations for the same volumetric units (e.g., mL, cc, mis; tsp, TSP, t) increases the likelihood of dosing errors. Opportunities for error exist with each administration of an oral liquid medication and, unless coordinated with dispensing of appropriate oral dosing devices and optimal counseling, can result in use of household utensils (e.g., uncalibrated teaspoons) or discordantly marked devices that can further exacerbate the risk of error. Since publication of NCPDP's original white paper, new standards have been adopted governing official liquid volume representation, calibrated dosing devices, and e-prescribing software which support the elimination of non-metric units to reduce use of dosing practices that are errorprone. In each case, U.S. customary (household) units have been eliminated in official standards and certification requirements. Therefore, use of non-metric units for oral dosing of liquid medications no longer is an acceptable practice.Conclusion. Key factors contributing to dosing errors with oral liquid medications include use of multiple volumetric units and abbreviations; failure to institute policies and procedures that eliminate the use of non-metric (e.g., household) units and universally adopt metric-only dosing instructions in all settings; failure to coordinate dosing instructions with dosing device markings, appropriate type (oral syringe versus cup), and optimal volumes (e.g., 1-, 5-, or 10-mL devices); failure to adequately counsel patients about appropriate measurement and administration of oral liquid medication doses; and use or error-prone practices such as missing leading zeros and elimination of trailing zeros in prescriptions and container labels. Adoption of this white paper's recommendations will align dosing designations for oral liquid medications in all settings with current standards and attain universal metric-only practice.

Nursing home and long-term care facility residents live in congregate settings and are often elderly and frail, putting them at high risk for infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and severe COVID-19-associated outcomes; therefore, this population was prioritized for early vaccination in the United States (1). Following rapid distribution and administration of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) under an Emergency Use Authorization by the Food and Drug Administration (2), observational studies among nursing home residents demonstrated vaccine effectiveness (VE) ranging from 53% to 92% against SARS-CoV-2 infection (3-6). However, concerns about the potential for waning vaccine-induced immunity and the recent emergence of the highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant† highlight the need to continue to monitor VE (7). Weekly data reported by the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare (CMS)-certified skilled nursing facilities or nursing homes to CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)§ were analyzed to evaluate effectiveness of full vaccination (2 doses received ≥14 days earlier) with any of the two currently authorized mRNA COVID-19 vaccines during the period soon after vaccine introduction and before the Delta variant was circulating (pre-Delta [March 1-May 9, 2021]), and when the Delta variant predominated¶ (Delta [June 21-August 1, 2021]). Using 17,407 weekly reports from 3,862 facilities from the pre-Delta period, adjusted effectiveness against infection for any mRNA vaccine was 74.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 70.0%-78.8%). Analysis using 33,160 weekly reports from 11,581 facilities during an intermediate period (May 10-June 20) found that the adjusted effectiveness was 67.5% (95% CI = 60.1%-73.5%). Analysis using 85,593 weekly reports from 14,917 facilities during the Delta period found that the adjusted effectiveness was 53.1% (95% CI = 49.1%-56.7%). Effectiveness estimates were similar for Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. These findings indicate that mRNA vaccines provide protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection among nursing home residents; however, VE was lower after the Delta variant became the predominant circulating strain in the United States. This analysis assessed VE against any infection, without being able to distinguish between asymptomatic and symptomatic presentations. Additional evaluations are needed to understand protection against severe disease in nursing home residents over time. Because nursing home residents might remain at some risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection despite vaccination, multiple COVID-19 prevention strategies, including infection control, testing, and vaccination of nursing home staff members, residents, and visitors, are critical. An additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine might be considered for nursing home and long-term care facility residents to optimize a protective immune response.

This cross-sectional study examines changes in the outpatient retail dispensing frequency of proposed treatments for coronavirus disease 2019 after the March 13, 2020, declaration of a national emergency due to the pandemic.

Purpose We used data from two public health surveillance systems for national estimates and detailed descriptions of insulin mix-up errors resulting in emergency department (ED) visits and other serious adverse events to help inform prevention efforts. Methods ED visits involving patients seeking care for insulin medication errors collected by the NEISS-CADES project in 2012-2017 and voluntary reports of serious insulin medication errors submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2016-2017 were analyzed. National estimates of insulin product prescriptions dispensed from retail pharmacies were obtained from IQVIA National Prescription Audit. Results Between 2012 and 2017, based on 514 NEISS-CADES cases, there were an estimated 5636 (95% CI, 4143-7128) ED visits annually for insulin mix-up errors; overall, over three-quarters (77.5%; 95% CI, 71.6%-83.3%) involved taking rapid-acting instead of long-acting insulin. Between 2012 and 2017, the proportion of mix-up errors among all estimated ED visits for all insulin errors decreased by 60%; concurrently, the proportion of pens among all insulin package types dispensed increased by 50%. Among 58 voluntary reports submitted to FAERS, over one-half (56.9%) of cases involved taking rapid- instead of long-acting insulin. Among 27 cases with documented contributing factors, approximately one-half involved patients having difficulty differentiating products. Conclusions Among all ED visits for insulin errors collected by NEISS-CADES in 2012-2017, the proportion involving mix-up errors has declined. Continued reductions may require additional prevention strategies, including improving insulin distinctiveness, particularly for rapid- vs long-acting insulins. Ongoing national surveillance is important for identifying the impact of interventions.

Objective: To evaluate if facility-level vaccination after an initial vaccination clinic was independently associated with COVID-19 incidence adjusted for other factors in January 2021 among nursing home residents. Design: Ecological analysis of data from the CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) and from the CDC's Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program. Setting and Participants: CMS-certified nursing homes participating in both NHSN and the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program. Methods: A multivariable, random intercepts, negative binomial model was applied to contrast COVID-19 incidence rates among residents living in facilities with an initial vaccination clinic during the week ending January 3, 2021 (n = 2843), vs those living in facilities with no vaccination clinic reported up to and including the week ending January 10, 2021 (n = 3216). Model covariates included bed size, resident SARS-CoV-2 testing, staff with COVID-19, cumulative COVID-19 among residents, residents admitted with COVID-19, community county incidence, and county social vulnerability index (SVI). Results: In December 2020 and January 2021, incidence of COVID-19 among nursing home residents declined to the lowest point since reporting began in May, diverged from the pattern in community cases, and began dropping before vaccination occurred. Comparing week 3 following an initial vaccination clinic vs week 2, the adjusted reduction in COVID-19 rate in vaccinated facilities was 27% greater than the reduction in facilities where vaccination clinics had not yet occurred (95% confidence interval: 14%-38%, P < .05). Conclusions and Implications: Vaccination of residents contributed to the decline in COVID-19 incidence in nursing homes; however, other factors also contributed. The decline in COVID-19 was evident prior to widespread vaccination, highlighting the benefit of a multifaced approach to prevention including continued use of recommended screening, testing, and infection prevention practices as well as vaccination to keep residents in nursing homes safe. (c) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of AMDA -The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Background. The objective of our study was to describe trends in US outpatient antibiotic prescriptions from January through May 2020 and compare with trends in previous years (2017-2019). Methods. We used data from the IQVIA Total Patient Tracker to estimate the monthly number of patients dispensed antibiotic prescriptions from retail pharmacies from January 2017 through May 2020. We averaged estimates from 2017 through 2019 and defined expected seasonal change as the average percent change from January to May 2017-2019. We calculated percentage point and volume changes in the number of patients dispensed antibiotics from January to May 2020 exceeding expected seasonal changes. We also calculated average percent change in number of patients dispensed antibiotics per month in 2017-2019 versus 2020. Data were analyzed overall and by agent, class, patient age, state, and prescriber specialty. Results. From January to May 2020, the number of patients dispensed antibiotic prescriptions decreased from 20.3 to 9.9 million, exceeding seasonally expected decreases by 33 percentage points and 6.6 million patients. The largest changes in 2017-2019 versus 2020 were observed in April (-39%) and May (-42%). The number of patients dispensed azithromycin increased from February to March 2020 then decreased. Overall, beyond-expected decreases were greatest among children (<= 19 years) and agents used for respiratory infections, dentistry, and surgical prophylaxis. Conclusions. From January 2020 to May 2020, the number of outpatients with antibiotic prescriptions decreased substantially more than would be expected because of seasonal trends alone, possibly related to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and associated mitigation measures.

Background Trends in prescribing for nursing home (NH) residents, which may have been influenced by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, have not been characterized. Methods Long-term care pharmacy data from 1944 US NHs were used to evaluate trends in prescribing of antibiotics and drugs that were investigated for COVID-19 treatment, including hydroxychloroquine, famotidine, and dexamethasone. To account for seasonal variability in antibiotic prescribing and decreased NH occupancy during the pandemic, monthly prevalence of residents with a prescription dispensed per 1000 residents serviced was calculated from January to October and compared as relative percent change from 2019 to 2020. Results In April 2020, prescribing was significantly higher in NHs for drugs investigated for COVID-19 treatment than 2019; including hydroxychloroquine (+563%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.87, 7.48) and azithromycin (+150%, 95% CI: 2.37, 2.63). Ceftriaxone prescribing also increased (+43%, 95% CI: 1.34, 1.54). Prescribing of dexamethasone was 36% lower in April (95% CI: .55, .73) and 303% higher in July (95% CI: 3.66, 4.45). Although azithromycin and ceftriaxone prescribing increased, total antibiotic prescribing among residents was lower from May (-5%, 95% CI: .94, .97) through October (-4%, 95% CI: .94, .97) in 2020 compared to 2019. Conclusions During the pandemic, large numbers of residents were prescribed drugs investigated for COVID-19 treatment, and an increase in prescribing of antibiotics commonly used for respiratory infections was observed. Prescribing of these drugs may increase the risk of adverse events, without providing clear benefits. Surveillance of NH prescribing practices is critical to evaluate concordance with guideline-recommended therapy and improve resident safety. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there was a higher prevalence of nursing home residents with a prescription dispensed for drugs that were investigated for COVID-19 treatment and antibiotics commonly used for respiratory infections than in the previous year.

IMPORTANCE:Assessing the scope of acute medication harms to patients should include both therapeutic and nontherapeutic medication use. OBJECTIVE:To describe the characteristics of emergency department (ED) visits for acute harms from both therapeutic and nontherapeutic medication use in the US. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS:Active, nationally representative, public health surveillance based on patient visits to 60 EDs in the US participating in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-Cooperative Adverse Drug Event Surveillance Project from 2017 through 2019. EXPOSURES:Medications implicated in ED visits, with visits attributed to medication harms (adverse events) based on the clinicians' diagnoses and supporting data documented in the medical record. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES:Nationally weighted estimates of ED visits and subsequent hospitalizations for medication harms. RESULTS:Based on 96 925 cases (mean patient age, 49 years; 55% female), there were an estimated 6.1 (95% CI, 4.8-7.5) ED visits for medication harms per 1000 population annually and 38.6% (95% CI, 35.2%-41.9%) resulted in hospitalization. Population rates of ED visits for medication harms were higher for patients aged 65 years or older than for those younger than 65 years (12.1 vs 5.0 [95% CI, 7.4-16.8 vs 4.1-5.8] per 1000 population). Overall, an estimated 69.1% (95% CI, 63.6%-74.7%) of ED visits for medication harms involved therapeutic medication use, but among patients younger than 45 years, an estimated 52.5% (95% CI, 48.1%-56.8%) of visits for medication harms involved nontherapeutic use. The proportions of ED visits for medication harms involving therapeutic use were lowest for barbiturates (6.3%), benzodiazepines (11.1%), nonopioid analgesics (15.7%), and antihistamines (21.8%). By age group, the most frequent medication types and intents of use associated with ED visits for medication harms were therapeutic use of anticoagulants (4.5 [95% CI, 2.3-6.7] per 1000 population) and diabetes agents (1.8 [95% CI, 1.3-2.3] per 1000 population) for patients aged 65 years and older; therapeutic use of diabetes agents (0.8 [95% CI, 0.5-1.0] per 1000 population) for patients aged 45 to 64 years; nontherapeutic use of benzodiazepines (1.0 [95% CI, 0.7-1.3] per 1000 population) for patients aged 25 to 44 years; and unsupervised medication exposures (2.2 [95% CI, 1.8-2.7] per 1000 population) and therapeutic use of antibiotics (1.4 [95% CI, 1.0-1.8] per 1000 population) for children younger than 5 years. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE:According to data from 60 nationally representative US emergency departments, visits attributed to medication harms in 2017-2019 were frequent, with variation in products and intent of use by age.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Characterization of emergency department (ED) visits for acute harms related to use of over-the-counter cough and cold medications (CCMs) by patient demographics, intent of CCM use, concurrent substance use, and clinical manifestations can help guide prevention of medication harms. METHODS:Public health surveillance data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-Cooperative Adverse Drug Event Surveillance project were used to estimate numbers and population rates of ED visits from 2017 to 2019. RESULTS:Based on 1396 surveillance cases, there were an estimated 26 735 (95% CI, 21 679-31 791) US ED visits for CCM-related harms annually, accounting for 1.3% (95% CI, 1.2-1.5%) of all ED visits for medication adverse events. Three fifths (61.4%, 95% CI, 55.6-67.2%) of these visits were attributed to non-therapeutic CCM use (nonmedical use, self-harm, unsupervised pediatric exposures). Most visits by children aged <4 years (74.0%, 95% CI, 59.7-88.3%) were for unsupervised CCM exposures. Proportion hospitalized was higher for visits for self-harm (76.5%, 95% CI, 68.9-84.2%) than for visits for nonmedical use (30.3%, 95% CI, 21.1-39.6%) and therapeutic use (8.8%, 95% CI, 5.9-11.8%). Overall, estimated population rates of ED visits for CCM-related harms were higher for patients aged 12-34 years (16.5 per 100 000, 95% CI, 13.0-20.0) compared with patients aged <12 years (5.1 per 100 000, 95% CI, 3.6-6.5) and ≥ 35 years (4.3 per 100 000, 95% CI, 3.4-5.1). Concurrent use of other medications, illicit drugs, or alcohol was frequent in ED visits for nonmedical use (61.3%) and self-harm (75.9%). CONCLUSIONS:Continued national surveillance of CCM-related harms can assess progress toward safer use.