LOOK A LIKE SOUND A LIKE
(LASA) MEDICINE
CONTENTS
1. MEDICINE
2. LASA MEDICINE
3. PRESCRIPTION ERROR DUE TO LASA
4. HOW TO MINIMIZE / AVOID
5. OUTCOMES OF THIS PRESENTATION
MEDICINE
• ANY SUBSTANCE THAT IS USED TO PREVENT,
DIAGNOSIS, TREAT OR RELIEVE SYMPTOMS OF
DISEASES OR ABNORMAL CONDITIONS. IT CAN
ALSO EFFECTS HOW THE BRAIN, AND REST OF
BODY WORK AND CAUSE CHANGE IN MOOD
AWARENESS, THOUGHTS, FEELING OR
BEHAVIOUR. ----WHO
LASA MEDICINE
• LASA names are medicine names that look or
sound the same as other medicine names
when written or spoken.
• Look-alike, sound-alike (LASA) medicines are a
well-recognized cause of medication errors
that are due to orthographic (look-alike) and
phonetic (sound-alike) similarities between
medicines, which can be confusing.
LASA MEDICINE
• Look-alike medicines appear visually the same
with respect to packaging, shape, colour
and/or size, WHILE sound-alike medicines are
similar in the phonetics of their names, doses
and/or strengths.
• Confusions can occur between brand-brand,
brand-generic or generic-generic names
LASA MEDICINE
• The appearance of medicines can be
misleading, both because different medicines
appear to be the same or because the same
medicines appear to be different.
• LASA errors can occur at any stage of
medication use: prescribing, documenting,
dispensing, administering and monitoring.
LASA MEDICINE
• Poorly legible handwritten prescriptions, verbal
orders, use of error- prone abbreviations and
selection of a LASA medicine in computerized
prescriber order entry (CPOE) are some of the
main reasons for errors during prescribing.
• The impact of LASA errors involving high-risk
(high-alert) medicines will be serious and can
cause severe patient harm, including death.
PRESCRIPTION ERROR DUE TO LASA AND ITS IMPACT
• Worldwide among all medication error 14.7% to 25 % is
LASA related error.
• According to the results from United States
Pharmacopoeia, around 1400 commonly used
medications were involved in such errors.
• In 2018 10.7% medication error has occurred due to lasa
medicine (2,06,458 error out of 1936812 prescription) and
63 death in the research done between january to march.
Triamicilone is used Rheumatoid arthritis and Osteoarthritis while
Fenofibrate is indicated to reduce elevated LDL-C, Triglycerides and to increase HDL-
C adults in hypercholesterolemia or dyslipidemia Patients.
FIGURE
Midazolam is a short-acting hypnotic-sedative drug with anxiolytic, muscle
relaxant, anticonvulsant, sedative, hypnotic, and amnesic properties
LASA drugs-Similar brand names, different generic composition
• ALMEX ALBENDAZOLE
• ALMOX AMOXICILLIN
• AZOM AZITHROMYCIN
• ASOM ESOMEPRAZOLE
• ACENIL ACECLOFENAC
• ACEPRIL ENALAPRIL
LASA drugs- Similar brand names with additional letter
• ALMOX AMOXICILLIN
• ALMOX-C AMOXICILLIN+CLOXACILLIN
• TAXIM CEFOTAXIME
• TAXIM-O CEFEXIME
• ZERODOL ACECLOFENAC
• ZERODOL-P ACECLOFENAC+PARACETAMOL
• ZERODOL-SP ACECLOFENAC + SERRATIOPEPTIDASE + PARACETAMOL
• ZERODOL-MR ACECLOFENAC +TIZANIDINE
LASA drugs- Similar brand names of the
Antibiotics group
• ARDOX DOXYCYCLINE
• ARFLOX OFLOXACIN
• MEGACLOX CLOXACILLIN
• MEGADOX DOXYCYCLINE
• MEGAFLOX OFLOXACIN
• MICRODOX DOXYCYCLINE
• MICROFLOX CIPROFLOXACIN
CAUSES of LASA ERROR
1. Factors associated with health care professionals
• Lack of therapeutic training
• Inadequate drug knowledge and experience
• Overworked or fatigued health care professionals
• Poor communication between health care professional and
with patients
2. Factors associated with patients
• Patient characteristics (e.g., personality, literacy and
language barriers)
• Complexity of clinical case, including multiple health
conditions, polypharmacy and high-risk medications
CAUSES of LASA ERROR
3. Factors associated with the work environment
• Workload and time pressures
• Distractions and interruptions (by primary care staff and patients)
• Lack of standardized protocols and procedures
• Insufficient resources
• Issues with the physical work environment (e.g., lighting,
temperature and ventilation)
4. Factors associated with medicines
• Naming of medicines
• Labeling and packaging
CAUSES of LASA ERROR
5. Factors associated with computerized information systems
• Difficult processes for generating first prescriptions (e.g.drug
pick lists, default dose regimens)
• Difficult processes for generating correct repeat
prescriptions
• Lack of accuracy of patient records
• Inadequate design that allows for human error
6. Primary-secondary care interface
• Limited quality of communication with secondary care
• Little justification of secondary care recommendations
Eg., OF LASA RELATED ERROR in FOREIGN
Eg., OF LASA RELATED ERROR in FOREIGN
Eg., OF LASA RELATED ERROR in NEPAL
Eg., OF LASA RELATED ERROR in FOREIGN
