Screening IV Drug Admixtures for Compatibility or Incompatibility
With the continually advancing technology in the healthcare environment, it is imperative for healthcare professionals to have quick access to compatibility and incompatibility data for multiple intravenous drug delivery methods. First DataBank helps you avoid the compatibility problems frequently encountered in the compounding and dispensing of IV preparations with the Intravenous Module.
In the past, the potential for incompatibility or instability problems with IV drugs was minimized by using Y-site administration, in which the contact time of multiple solutions rarely exceeds one hour. However, with the advent of syringe pumps and compact ambulatory infusion pump systems, highly concentrated drugs are given over a prolonged period of time. If there is more than one concentrated drug combined in a syringe or pump reservoir, the possibility of incompatibility increases greatly. This creates the demand for comprehensive compatibility data.
Determining Compatibility
The data in the Intravenous Module are part of the clinical decision support in
NDDF Plus. Specific information is based on the Handbook of Injectable Drugs by Lawrence A. Trissel, R.Ph., Fellow of the ASHP Editorial Board. With drugs-in-solution, Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN), Y-site, and drugs-in-syringe data available as well, this module offers you extensive information on IV drug compatibility.
The Intravenous Module describes admixtures as either compatible or incompatible based on the following criteria:
- Compatibility - Compatibility is defined as either physical compatibility (no visible incompatibility) or stability of the drugs or solutions in each study for at least 24 hours (or less if stated in the study) with less than 10% decomposition.
- Physical Incompatibility - Both visible and non-visible incompatibilities are included in this module.
- Chemical Incompatibility - Factors that influence decomposition, such as the amount of decomposition, temperature, contact time and pH are included in the remarks associated with the compatibility test results.
- Instability - Instability defines a chemical reaction that is not reversible and results in degradation products that may be toxic and therapeutically inactive.
- Equivocal Compatibility - Compatibility is reported as equivocal in situations in which results are transient (such as turbidity that is resolved during a short time period, uncertain or inconsistent).
- Renal and hepatic impairment dosage adjustment indicators
Other Criteria
- Strength Specificity - Incompatibility studies using this module are strength-specific regarding solutions. Non-solution data are spread to all available strengths.
- Drugs-in-Syringe - This module contains data for intravenous administration (except when one or more drugs are in a syringe). This data can be applied to intramuscular and subcutaneous routes.
- Diluents - The studies for drugs-in-syringe may not address diluents due to the fact that the diluents are not mentioned in the original studies.
Key Features
- All module components are assigned component numbers (IVMCOMP codes).
- A method of IV administration is identified (or another injection method in the case of syringe data) for every investigation.
- A query can be made of all possible solutions involved in a drug study, regardless of mode of administration.
- Compatible, incompatible, and equivocal results are identified.
- Remarks amplifying the test setting or results are associated with compatibility tests.
System Capabilities
First DataBank designed Intravenous Module to improve healthcare by providing an efficient administrative tool for an IV preparation area. Our data will save you time and money by checking each drug in an IV admixture prior to preparation. When using this data, you will typically be capable of:
- Providing an alert if there is an incompatibility
- Allowing a query to be made of all incompatibilities
- Allowing a query to be made of all compatibilities with possible alternatives to any incompatibilities
- Allowing a query by mode of administration to eliminate extraneous or irrelevant data
- Allowing queries based on specific products or generic drug attributes
Develop with the First DataBank Intravenous Module
The Intravenous Module from First DataBank decreases the time spent investigating compatibilities manually, and eliminates speculation. This not only improves management of the IV preparation area, but also decreases costs by curbing the waste of time and materials spent on physically or chemically incompatible IV admixtures.