Prevalence, Severity, and Predictors of Drug–Drug Interactions in Prescriptions from Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

Atiyah, Raneen Subhi; Mohammed, Shazin Farhad; Ismail, Hevi Raouf; Abdullah, Trefa M

doi:10.32894/kjms.2025.162574.1166

	Prevalence, Severity, and Predictors of Drug–Drug Interactions in Prescriptions from Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
Kirkuk Journal of Medical Sciences
Volume 13, Issue 2, July 2025, Pages 72-77 PDF (584.91 K)
Document Type: Original research
DOI: 10.32894/kjms.2025.162574.1166
Authors
Raneen Subhi Atiyah^* ¹; Shazin Farhad Mohammed¹; Hevi Raouf Ismail¹; Trefa M Abdullah²
¹Pharmacy Department, College of Medicine, Komar University of Science and Technology, MOH- Kurdistan, Iraq
²1. Pharmacy Department, College of Medicine, Komar University of Science and Technology, MOH- Kurdistan, Iraq 2. College of Pharmacy, University of Sulaimani, MOH- Kurdistan, Iraq
Abstract
Background: Drug–drug interactions (DDIs) represent a significant risk to patient safety, especially in settings where polypharmacy is common and decision-support systems are limited. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, types, mechanisms, and clinical predictors of potential drug–drug interactions in inpatient and outpatient drug prescriptions. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 300 prescriptions collected from inpatient and outpatient departments in Sulaymaniyah city, between January and April 2025. The Medscape Drug Interaction Checker was used to identify and classify drug-drug interactions by severity (minor, moderate, major) and mechanism (pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, or both). Associations with polypharmacy, gender, and care setting were analyzed using appropriate statistical analysis. Results: Potential drug-drug interactions were identified in 81 prescriptions (27.0%), with a total of 148 interactions. Polypharmacy was strongly associated with drug-drug interaction occurrence: patients with five or more medications had significantly higher odds of drug-drug interactions (OR = 9.24; 95% CI: 4.31–19.78; p < 0.001), which increased further for those prescribed six or more drugs (OR = 16.25; 95% CI: 7.67–34.42). Most drug-drug interactions were moderate in severity (51.3%) and primarily pharmacodynamic in nature (57.4%). Gender and care setting were not significantly associated with drug-drug interaction risk. Conclusion: Drug–drug interactions were common in Northern Iraq prescriptions, especially with polypharmacy, underscoring the need for better medication review and monitoring.
Keywords
Polypharmacy; Drug-Drug Interactions; Pharmacodynamic Interaction; Medication Safety

Statistics Article View: 361 PDF Download: 228