Our four studies highlight the importance of potential drug-drug interactions as a contributing factor in drug safety. Thus, this book contains these studies starting with the evaluation of drug interaction screening programs, continuing with the prevalence of drug-drug interactions during hospitalization and the pharmacist intervention study and ending with a case-control study about risk factors for gastrointestinal bleeding. We conclude, that improvements regarding the awareness of potential drug-drug interactions and a strict management should be implemented. Prescribing drugs with a low risk for potential drug-drug interactions as well as careful monitoring for adverse drug reactions are important measures in the prevention of harm associated with potential drug-drug interactions.

Priska Vonbach, Dr. phil.nat.: Pharmacy Studies ETH Zurich, Federal Degree in Pharmacy 1999; Postgraduate education in Hospital Pharmacy, Degree in Hospital Pharmacy FPH 2006; Certificate of Advanced Studies in Statistics ETH Zurich, 2007; Dissertation, Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Basel, Promotion 2007.