Patterns of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND: Pharmacovigilance enhances post-market drug safety. However, analytical reports of a pattern of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) experienced by patients in Saudi Arabia are demanded. OBJECTIVE: To describe patterns of ADRs submitted to the Saudi Central National Pharmacovigilance and Drug Safety Center (NPC), Saudi Food and Drug Administration (SFDA), from its inception in 2015 until the end of 2017 to understand the pattern of ADR reporting in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: In this retrospective study, data from cases reported to the NPC were used to determine ADRs and identify the most common associated drug classes based on anatomical therapeutic chemical (ATC) classification system. RESULT: A total of 17,730 ADR cases were reported during study period. An annual increase in ADRs was clearly evident. Approximately 54% of the total ADRs reported were serious. Most commonly reported ATC drug classes were anti-infective agents for systemic use (22.27%), antineoplastic and immunomodulating agents (21.49%), alimentary tract and metabolism (15.48 %), cardiovascular system (11.11%) and nervous system (10.23%). Vancomycin (2.7%), ceftiraxone (1.8%), fingolimod (1.4%) and paracetamol (1.4%) were the most common drugs associated with serious ADRs. CONCLUSION: This study provide valuable insights in hypothesis generation for future studies on drug-event interactions and amplification studies. The NPC educational programs and awareness campaigns to promote systematic reporting of ADRs among healthcare professionals and general public should be continued.