Interações medicamentosas e riscos de toxicidade: uma análise farmacoepidemiológica e o papel da vigilância em saúde

Drug interactions represent a critical challenge to global public health and patient safety and are directly associated with the irrational use of medications and the increasing prevalence of polypharmacy among vulnerable populations, such as older adults. This study aimed to analyze the epidemiological profile, the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic mechanisms involved in drug interactions, and the resulting risks of systemic toxicity, highlighting mitigation strategies based on Health Surveillance and the clinical practice of pharmacists. A narrative literature review with an exploratory and descriptive approach was conducted. The results indicate that polypharmacy (the concomitant use of ≥ 5 medications), associated with multimorbidities such as systemic arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus, is the main predictor of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and organ toxicity, particularly hepatic and renal damage. It is concluded that the active involvement of clinical pharmacists through medication reconciliation, together with strengthened pharmacovigilance reporting, constitutes an essential health safety measure for mitigating unfavorable clinical outcomes and ensuring systemic therapeutic safety.