What is one of the factors a pharmacist must review during a drug utilization review?

During a drug utilization review, one of the key aspects a pharmacist must assess is the potential for drug-drug and drug-allergy interactions. This process is crucial because it helps ensure patient safety by identifying any adverse reactions that could occur if the patient is taking multiple medications that may interact negatively with one another or if they have allergies to certain drugs.

By reviewing drug-drug interactions, pharmacists can evaluate how different medications may affect each other's effectiveness or lead to harmful side effects. Similarly, assessing drug-allergy interactions allows pharmacists to prevent prescription errors that could result from allergic reactions to a medication the patient might be taking. This comprehensive review helps optimize therapy, enhancing patient care and minimizing risks associated with medication use.

While duration of treatment, cost of medication, and patient demographics may be important in patient management and planning, they do not directly address the immediacy and critical nature of interactions that may endanger patients. Therefore, the review of drug interactions is a primary focus during a drug utilization review.