TY - JOUR
T1 - Potential drug interactions in travelers with chronic illnesses
T2 - A large retrospective cohort study
AU - Stienlauf, Shmuel
AU - Meltzer, Eyal
AU - Kurnik, Daniel
AU - Leshem, Eyal
AU - Kopel, Eran
AU - Streltsin, Bianca
AU - Schwartz, Eli
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 Elsevier Ltd.
PY - 2014/9/1
Y1 - 2014/9/1
N2 - Background Data regarding the prevalence of potential interactions between travel-related medications (TRM) and chronic medications in use, or medical conditions of travelers to developing countries are limited.Methods A retrospective cohort study of travelers to low income countries. We extracted data on demographics, travel destinations, use of chronic medications, drug allergies, and relevant medical conditions. The following TRM were evaluated: mefloquine, primaquine, doxycycline, atovaquone/proguanil, fluoroquinolone antibiotics, rifaximin, azithromycin, and acetazolamide.Results A total of 16,263 travelers were included in the analysis, of whom 3299(20%) suffered from chronic illnesses and 2316(14%) reported chronic medication use. A potential drug-drug interaction with TRM was identified in 1047(45%) of travelers using chronic medication. Fluoroquinolones and azithromycin were the most commonly implicated TRMs. A potential medical condition interaction with TRM was identified in 717(22%) of travelers having chronic illnesses. acetazolamide, primaquine and mefloquine, were the most commonly TRMs implicated. Drug allergies, which can pose a relative contraindication for use of acetazolamide, were reported by 1323(8.1%) of all travelers.conditions. Education of health practitioners regarding such potential drug interactions and caution when in prescribing travel-related medications is warranted.
AB - Background Data regarding the prevalence of potential interactions between travel-related medications (TRM) and chronic medications in use, or medical conditions of travelers to developing countries are limited.Methods A retrospective cohort study of travelers to low income countries. We extracted data on demographics, travel destinations, use of chronic medications, drug allergies, and relevant medical conditions. The following TRM were evaluated: mefloquine, primaquine, doxycycline, atovaquone/proguanil, fluoroquinolone antibiotics, rifaximin, azithromycin, and acetazolamide.Results A total of 16,263 travelers were included in the analysis, of whom 3299(20%) suffered from chronic illnesses and 2316(14%) reported chronic medication use. A potential drug-drug interaction with TRM was identified in 1047(45%) of travelers using chronic medication. Fluoroquinolones and azithromycin were the most commonly implicated TRMs. A potential medical condition interaction with TRM was identified in 717(22%) of travelers having chronic illnesses. acetazolamide, primaquine and mefloquine, were the most commonly TRMs implicated. Drug allergies, which can pose a relative contraindication for use of acetazolamide, were reported by 1323(8.1%) of all travelers.conditions. Education of health practitioners regarding such potential drug interactions and caution when in prescribing travel-related medications is warranted.
KW - Chronic disease
KW - Chronic use of prescription drugs
KW - Developing countries
KW - Drug interactions
KW - Israel
KW - Travelers
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84908159064&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.tmaid.2014.04.008
DO - 10.1016/j.tmaid.2014.04.008
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C2 - 24867407
AN - SCOPUS:84908159064
SN - 1477-8939
VL - 12
SP - 499
EP - 504
JO - Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease
JF - Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease
IS - 5
ER -
