What does D/I mean in Hospitals?

Drug interaction

A drug interaction is a situation in which a substance affects the activity of a drug when both are administered together. This action can be synergistic or antagonistic or a new effect can be produced that neither produces on its own. Typically, interactions between drugs come to mind. However, interactions may also exist between drugs and foods, as well as drugs and medicinal plants or herbs. People taking antidepressant drugs such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors should not take food containing tyramine as hypertensive crisis may occur. These interactions may occur out of accidental misuse or due to lack of knowledge about the active ingredients involved in the relevant substances. It is therefore easy to see the importance of these pharmacological interactions in the practice of medicine. If a patient is taking two drugs and one of them increases the effect of the other it is possible that an overdose may occur. The interaction of the two drugs may also increase the risk that side effects will occur. On the other hand, if the action of a drug is reduced it may cease to have any therapeutic use because of under dosage. Notwithstanding the above, on occasion these interactions may be sought in order to obtain an improved therapeutic effect. Examples of this include the use of codeine with paracetamol to increase its analgesic effect. Or the combination of clavulanic acid with amoxicillin in order to overcome bacterial resistance to the antibiotic. It should also be remembered that there are interactions that, from a theoretical standpoint, may occur but which in clinical practice have no important repercussions.

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