When assessing a medication in a prospective DUR, which factor is primarily considered?

In a prospective Drug Utilization Review (DUR), the primary focus is on identifying potential drug-drug interactions that may pose a risk to the patient. This process involves evaluating the patient's medication regimen before dispensing a new prescription to ensure that the new medication will not adversely interact with any of the patient's current medications. Drug-drug interactions can lead to serious side effects, diminished therapeutic efficacy, or increased toxicity, making this assessment a critical aspect of patient safety in pharmacy practice.

Although factors such as a patient's age, drug pricing, and the number of available refills may influence the overall medication management process, they do not directly impact the immediate safety assessment of drug interactions. Age, for example, can affect pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics but is secondary to the interactions among drugs that a patient may be taking. Similarly, drug pricing and refill availability are administrative concerns and do not directly relate to the clinical assessment of medication safety, particularly in terms of how drugs interact with one another within the patient's treatment plan. Thus, the emphasis on drug-drug interactions in a prospective DUR is essential for preventing medication-related problems before they occur.