Audit of serum drug concentration analysis for patients in the surgical intensive care unit.

Abstract

Serum drug concentration measurements can help the practitioner attain maximal therapeutic efficacy and minimal undesirable effects of certain medications. It is necessary, however, to obtain serum samples appropriately to assure that the result will provide useful information. In preparation for expansion of clinical pharmacy services to the surgical ICU, a study was performed to a) identify the drugs for which serum samples were requested and b) assess whether the results of the serum samples were being used appropriately to adjust doses. Currently, the pharmacy pharmacokinetics service routinely analyzes serum concentrations for antimicrobial agents, theophylline, and other drugs as requested. By the end of this year, we expect further expansion to include phenytoin, pentobarbital, phenobarbital, procainamide/NAPA, lidocaine, and digoxin.