Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2006. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis--University of Turku, Finland, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references.

<p>Läkemedels relaterade problem är en stor orsak till återinläggningar på sjukhus. Problemen orsakar både fysiska, psykiska och ekonomiska konsekvenser för patienten och samhället. Tidigare studier visar att många patienter har dålig kunskap om sin läkemedelsbehandling. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka patienters upplevelser av läkemedelshantering såväl inneliggande som i den vana hemmiljön, samt att inhämta underlag för förbättringar i läkemedelshanteringen. Metoden är kvalitativ med fenomenologisk ansats och elva intervjuer har utförts. Analysen utfördes enligt kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultatet visar att patienter känner att de måste lita på det vårdpersonalen säger och gör och ser inget annat val. Bristande information leder till att patienten ifrågasätter om det verkligen är rätt medicin han eller hon får. Resultatet visar på vissa faktorer som är viktiga för att få en väl fungerande läkemedelshantering och det latenta innehållet i resultatet sammanfattas som att en väl fungerande läkemedelshantering bygger på goda kunskaper, kommunikation och delaktighet.<strong></strong></p><p> </p> / <p>Drug related problems (DRP) are a major concern for hospital readmissions. These problems have physical, physiological and economical implications for the patients and for society. Research has shown that many patients´ have a lack of knowledge about their drug therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate patients´ perceptions of the medication use process in hospitals as well as in their own home environment, and in addition to establish foundations to provide a better medication use process. The research was based on eleven interviews using a qualitative method with a phenomenological approach. A qualitative content analysis was applied. The study shows that patients´ have a feeling that they have to trust their caregivers for what they say and what they do and there is no other choice. Lack of information leads to questioning if its´ the right medication he or she received. The results show that certain main factors are important for a functional medication use process. The main factor being that a good medication use process is based on good knowledge, communication and involvement.</p> / " En säker läkemedelsprocess"

Os medicamentos devem ser monitorados devido ao seu potencial de causar lesões e danos ao paciente se prescritos ou administrados de maneira incorreta, podendo aumentar o tempo de internação e diminuir a qualidade de vida do indivíduo no período de recuperação. Estudos de utilização de medicamento têm como objetivo conhecer e avaliar de que forma os medicamentos estão sendo utilizados para possibilitar medidas de intervenção adequadas e apropriadas para o serviço, bem como o planejamento de ações dentro da unidade estudada, buscando beneficiar o paciente e a melhoria da qualidade do serviço prestado. A prescrição de medicamentos em pediatria segue os mesmos critérios da adotada para adultos, embora a complexidade do paciente seja maior, por particularidades do metabolismo neonatal e infantil. A necessidade de uma dose ajustada ao peso e alterações nos parâmetros farmacocinéticos faz com que a população pediátrica seja mais suscetível a erros de medicação. Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar o perfil de utilização de medicamentos no período perioperatório de cirurgias pediátricas realizadas em um hospital. Trata-se de um estudo transversal, retrospectivo, conduzido em um hospital do Sul do Brasil. Foi realizado estudo piloto com 30 pacientes, o qual identificou que o procedimento mais realizado foi a hernioplastia. A classe terapêutica mais prescrita durante a cirurgia foi a de anestésicos e no período pós cirúrgico, analgésicos. Para analisar o perfil de utilização de medicamentos no período perioperatório, foram incluídos pacientes entre 0 e 18 anos submetidos à hernioplastia. Os medicamentos mais prescritos na pré-anestesia foram midazolam e cetamina. Durante o procedimento cirúrgico, sevoflurano, fentanil e propofol foram os anestésicos mais utilizados. O antimicrobiano predominantemente utilizado na profilaxia cirúrgica foi a cefazolina. No pós operatório 100% dos pacientes tiveram prescrição de pelo menos um medicamento analgésico, sendo o mais prescrito a dipirona. A metoclopramida foi o fármaco de escolha para tratar náuseas e vômitos. As prescrições estavam de acordo com a literatura e os protocolos assistenciais do hospital. Alguns dados não puderam ser analisados devido ao subregistro encontrados nos prontuários físicos. Estudos de utilização de medicamentos na área devem ser continuados, para obtenção de maior conhecimento sobre a prescrição e utilização de medicamentos na pediatria, possibilitando uma melhor assistência à saúde dos pacientes. / Anesthetic drugs should be monitored due to their potential to cause injury and damage to the patient if prescribed or administered incorrectly, with the possibility of increasing the length of stay and reducing the quality of life of individuals in the recovery period. Drug utilization studies aim to understand and evaluate how drugs are being used to enable intervention measures that are adequate and appropriate for the service, as well as action planning within the unit studied, with the aim of benefiting the patient and improving quality of service. The prescription of drugs in pediatrics follows the same criteria as those adopted for adults, although the patient complexity is greater, due to peculiarities of neonatal and child metabolism. The need for a weight-adjusted dose and alterations in pharmacokinetic parameters causes the pediatric population to be more susceptible to medication errors. This study aimed to analyze the drug use profile in the perioperative period of pediatric surgery performed in a hospital. It is a cross-sectional, retrospective study conducted in a hospital in the South region of Brazil, including patients aged 0-18 years. A pilot study was conducted with 30 patients, which found that the procedure performed was hernioplasty. The most prescribed therapeutic classes were anesthetics during surgery and painkillers during the postsurgical period. To analyze the drug use profile in the perioperative period, we included patients aged 0-18 years undergoing hernioplasty. The drugs most commonly prescribed in the pre-anesthesia period were midazolam and ketamine. During the surgical procedure, sevoflurane, fentanyl and propofol were the most used anesthetics. The antimicrobial that was predominantly used in surgical prophylaxis was cefazolin. In the postoperative period, 100% of the patients were prescribed at least one painkiller, the most common being dipyrone. Metoclopramide is the drug of choice to treat nausea and vomiting. The prescriptions were in accordance with the literature and the hospital’s care protocols. The use of metoclopramide may be controversial due to the extrapyramidal effects that may be caused by the drug, in particular in children. Some data could not be analyzed due to an undercount found in the physical records. Drug use studies in the area should be continued to provide greater knowledge of the prescription and use of drugs in pediatrics, enabling better care for patients.

In response to the urgent call for investigations into antiretroviral (ARV)-African traditional medicine (ATM) interactions, this research was undertaken to ascertain whether chronic administration of the ATM, Sutherlandia frutescens (SF) may alter the bioavailability of the protease inhibitor (PI), atazanavir (ATV), which may impact on the safety or efficacy of the ARV. Prior to investigating a potential interaction between ATV and SF in vitro and in vivo, a high performance liquid chromatography method with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV) was developed and validated for the bioanalysis of ATV in human plasma and liver microsomes. An improved and efficient analytical method with minimal use of solvents and short run time was achieved in comparison to methods published in the literature. In addition, the method was selective, linear, accurate and precise for quantitative analysis of ATV in these studies. Molecular docking studies were conducted to compare the binding modes and affinities of ATV and two major SF constituents, Sutherlandioside B and Sutherlandin C, with the efflux transporter, P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and the CYP450 isoenzyme, CYP3A4 to determine the potential for these phytochemicals to competitively inhibit the binding of ATV to these two proteins, which are mediators of absorption and metabolism. These studies revealed that modulation of P-gp transport of ATV by Sutherlandioside B and Sutherlandin C was not likely to occur via competitive inhibition. The results further indicated that weak competitive inhibition of CYP3A4 may possibly occur in the presence of either of these two SF constituents. The Caco-2 cell line was used as an in vitro model of human intestinal absorption. Accumulation studies in these cells were conducted to ascertain whether extracts and constituents of SF have the ability to alter the absorption of ATV. The results showed that the aqueous extract of SF significantly reduced ATV accumulation, suggesting decreased ATV absorption, whilst a triterpenoid glycoside fraction isolated from SF exhibited an opposing effect. Analogous responses were elicited by the aqueous extract and a triterpenoid glycoside fraction in similar accumulation studies in P-gp overexpressing Madin–Darby Canine Kidney Strain II cells (MDCKII-MDR1), which signified that the effects of this extract and component on ATV transport in the Caco-2 cells were P-gp-mediated. The quantitative analysis of ATV in human liver microsomes after co-incubation with extracts and components of SF was conducted to determine the effects of SF on the metabolism of ATV. The aqueous and methanolic extracts of SF inhibited ATV metabolism, whilst the triterpenoid glycoside fraction had a converse effect. Analogous effects by the extracts were demonstrated in experiments conducted in CYP3A4-transfected microsomes, suggesting that the inhibition of ATV metabolism in the liver microsomes by these SF extracts was CYP3A4-mediated. A combination of Sutherlandiosides C and D also inhibited CYP3A4-mediated ATV metabolism, which was in contrast to the response elicited by the triterpenoid fraction in the liver microsomes, where other unidentified compounds, shown to be present therein, may have contributed to the activation of ATV metabolism. The in vitro studies revealed the potential for SF to alter the bioavailability of ATV, therefore a clinical study in which the effect of a multiple dose regimen of SF on the pharmacokinetics (PK) of a single dose of ATV was conducted in healthy male volunteers. The statistical analysis showed that the 90 % confidence intervals around the geometric mean ratios (ATV + SF/ATV alone) for both Cmax and AUC0-24 hours, fell well below the lower limit of the "no-effect" boundary of 0.8 – 1.25, implying that the bioavailability of ATV was significantly reduced in this cohort of subjects. It may thus be concluded that if the reduction in bioavailability observed in this clinical study is found to be clinically relevant, co-administration of SF commercial dosage forms and ATV in HIV/AIDS patients may potentially result in subtherapeutic ATV levels, which may in turn contribute to ATV resistance and/or treatment failure. This research has therefore highlighted the potential risk for toxicity or lack of efficacy of ARV regimens which may result when ATMs and PIs are used concurrently and that patients and health care practitioners alike should be aware of these perils.

In renal transplantation, immunosuppressants are prescribed to patients to prevent graft loss. Although the extent of adherence required for such treatment to prevent graft loss has not been determined, it is thought to be high. Despite this, research suggests adherence rates for renal transplant recipients to be only between 50% and 95%. Considering the impact of graft loss on the renal patient, the national healthcare budget and on the limited resource of donor organs, it is important to identify and understand factors that contribute to nonadherence, and thereafter to address those that are most influential. This thesis seeks to understand adherence of renal transplant recipients, and to identify the cognitive and behavioural factors influencing this behaviour. To achieve this, three main activities were performed, a literature review, an interview study and a questionnaire study, the methods and findings of which are presented following an overview of two social cognition models, used in two of the activities, and renal disease. The first activity, a comprehensive literature review, identified 55 research articles that explored factors influencing adherence of renal transplant recipients to immunosuppressant drug therapy. It included original research studies published between 1980 and 2009, and was updated in 2011. The findings were categorised into the five dimensional framework suggested by the World Health Organisation: patient- related factors; socio-economic factors; condition-related factors; therapy-related factors; and healthcare team and system-related factors. Secondly, a semi-structured interview study with 27 renal transplant recipients was conducted. The study explored their attitude towards and behaviours related to taking immunosuppressants. The interview schedule was informed by the health belief model, and framework analysis of the data identified five key themes. These were: satisfaction with renal replacement therapy; the importance of taking immunosuppressants; perception of side effects and risks; responding to side effects and risks; and 'compliance is routine'. Finally, a questionnaire was developed using the theory of planned behaviour and the findings of the previous two activities. Its purpose was to determine the predictors of renal transplant recipients' self-reported adherence and to explain their adherence. A logistic regression model of 528 survey responses suggested respondents were more likely to be highly adherent if they, in descending order of influence: had well- established habits; were unemployed; had a better prospective memory; were a shorter time post-transplantation; had higher levels of anticipated affect; and lower levels of perceived behavioural control. The thesis concludes with discussing the findings of the studies, their strengths and limitations, and their implications for practice and future research. The findings of this thesis suggest unintentional nonadherence to prevail and encourage the development of interventions which promote habit formation and maintenance.

Os medicamentos devem ser monitorados devido ao seu potencial de causar lesões e danos ao paciente se prescritos ou administrados de maneira incorreta, podendo aumentar o tempo de internação e diminuir a qualidade de vida do indivíduo no período de recuperação. Estudos de utilização de medicamento têm como objetivo conhecer e avaliar de que forma os medicamentos estão sendo utilizados para possibilitar medidas de intervenção adequadas e apropriadas para o serviço, bem como o planejamento de ações dentro da unidade estudada, buscando beneficiar o paciente e a melhoria da qualidade do serviço prestado. A prescrição de medicamentos em pediatria segue os mesmos critérios da adotada para adultos, embora a complexidade do paciente seja maior, por particularidades do metabolismo neonatal e infantil. A necessidade de uma dose ajustada ao peso e alterações nos parâmetros farmacocinéticos faz com que a população pediátrica seja mais suscetível a erros de medicação. Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar o perfil de utilização de medicamentos no período perioperatório de cirurgias pediátricas realizadas em um hospital. Trata-se de um estudo transversal, retrospectivo, conduzido em um hospital do Sul do Brasil. Foi realizado estudo piloto com 30 pacientes, o qual identificou que o procedimento mais realizado foi a hernioplastia. A classe terapêutica mais prescrita durante a cirurgia foi a de anestésicos e no período pós cirúrgico, analgésicos. Para analisar o perfil de utilização de medicamentos no período perioperatório, foram incluídos pacientes entre 0 e 18 anos submetidos à hernioplastia. Os medicamentos mais prescritos na pré-anestesia foram midazolam e cetamina. Durante o procedimento cirúrgico, sevoflurano, fentanil e propofol foram os anestésicos mais utilizados. O antimicrobiano predominantemente utilizado na profilaxia cirúrgica foi a cefazolina. No pós operatório 100% dos pacientes tiveram prescrição de pelo menos um medicamento analgésico, sendo o mais prescrito a dipirona. A metoclopramida foi o fármaco de escolha para tratar náuseas e vômitos. As prescrições estavam de acordo com a literatura e os protocolos assistenciais do hospital. Alguns dados não puderam ser analisados devido ao subregistro encontrados nos prontuários físicos. Estudos de utilização de medicamentos na área devem ser continuados, para obtenção de maior conhecimento sobre a prescrição e utilização de medicamentos na pediatria, possibilitando uma melhor assistência à saúde dos pacientes. / Anesthetic drugs should be monitored due to their potential to cause injury and damage to the patient if prescribed or administered incorrectly, with the possibility of increasing the length of stay and reducing the quality of life of individuals in the recovery period. Drug utilization studies aim to understand and evaluate how drugs are being used to enable intervention measures that are adequate and appropriate for the service, as well as action planning within the unit studied, with the aim of benefiting the patient and improving quality of service. The prescription of drugs in pediatrics follows the same criteria as those adopted for adults, although the patient complexity is greater, due to peculiarities of neonatal and child metabolism. The need for a weight-adjusted dose and alterations in pharmacokinetic parameters causes the pediatric population to be more susceptible to medication errors. This study aimed to analyze the drug use profile in the perioperative period of pediatric surgery performed in a hospital. It is a cross-sectional, retrospective study conducted in a hospital in the South region of Brazil, including patients aged 0-18 years. A pilot study was conducted with 30 patients, which found that the procedure performed was hernioplasty. The most prescribed therapeutic classes were anesthetics during surgery and painkillers during the postsurgical period. To analyze the drug use profile in the perioperative period, we included patients aged 0-18 years undergoing hernioplasty. The drugs most commonly prescribed in the pre-anesthesia period were midazolam and ketamine. During the surgical procedure, sevoflurane, fentanyl and propofol were the most used anesthetics. The antimicrobial that was predominantly used in surgical prophylaxis was cefazolin. In the postoperative period, 100% of the patients were prescribed at least one painkiller, the most common being dipyrone. Metoclopramide is the drug of choice to treat nausea and vomiting. The prescriptions were in accordance with the literature and the hospital’s care protocols. The use of metoclopramide may be controversial due to the extrapyramidal effects that may be caused by the drug, in particular in children. Some data could not be analyzed due to an undercount found in the physical records. Drug use studies in the area should be continued to provide greater knowledge of the prescription and use of drugs in pediatrics, enabling better care for patients.

O tratamento farmacológico em idosos representa grande desafio, principalmente relacionado às alterações no metabolismo, que resultam em modificações farmacocinéticas e farmacodinâmicas, aumentando a sensibilidade a muitos fármacos. Associado ao uso extensivo de medicamentos e a presença de comorbidades, o risco de interações medicamentosas aumenta substancialmente nesta população. Essa problemática destaca-se em idosos institucionalizados em hospitais psiquiátricos. Desse modo, esta pesquisa teve como objetivo geral analisar e classificar as interações medicamentosas (IM) potenciais do tipo fármaco-fármaco, em idosos institucionalizados em unidades de internação e lares abrigados de Centro de Atenção Integral à Saúde. Trata-se de estudo de delineamento não experimental, descritivo correlacional e transversal. O estudo foi realizado a partir de dados secundários contidos nos prontuários dos idosos com transtornos psiquiátricos e neuropsiquiátricos que foram internados em um Centro de Atenção Integral à Saúde estadual nos anos de 2005 a 2014. Foram verificados todos os medicamentos prescritos na admissão do paciente, na mediana da internação e na última prescrição. Para coleta de dados foi utilizado um instrumento adaptado de Reis (2009). Para análise dos dados, foi utilizada a análise descritiva e a regressão logística múltipla bruta e ajustada. A maioria dos idosos era do sexo feminino (61,7%), com idade de 60 a 69 anos (54,3%), com diagnóstico psiquiátrico e clínico concomitantes (72,3%) e em uso de 5 a 10 medicamentos (68,1%). Os fármacos utilizados para o Sistema Nervoso foram os mais prescritos. Verificou-se que 67,0%, 74,5% e 80,8% dos pacientes apresentaram IM potenciais na admissão, mediana da internação e última prescrição, respectivamente. Foi detectado um total de 1064 IM potenciais nos três momentos investigados e constatou-se a média de aproximadamente cinco IM potenciais nas prescrições por paciente. Houve elevada porcentagem de IM potenciais graves e contraindicadas. No modelo de regressão logística, realizado para identificar os preditores de IM, no momento da admissão dos idosos, contribuíram de forma significativa a idade de 60 a 69 anos (OR=7,9), a polifarmácia (OR=16,6) e o uso de medicamentos para o aparelho cardiovascular (OR=11,3) e para o aparelho respiratório (OR=16,4). Na mediana da internação, foram preditores de IM potenciais o uso de medicamentos que atuam no sistema nervoso (OR=7,4) e polifarmácia (OR=4,9). Na última prescrição, apenas a polifarmácia foi preditor para ocorrência de IM potencial (OR=30,1), indicando que a segurança do paciente no uso de medicamentos permaneceu comprometida. Os resultados desta investigação mostraram o comprometimento da segurança dos idosos no que se refere ao potencial para IM. Estratégias como a integração da equipe multidisciplinar, a reconciliação medicamentosa e a atuação do enfermeiro na avaliação do processo medicamentoso do idoso são necessárias para o cuidado seguro e de qualidade / Pharmacological treatment in elderly represents a great challenge, mainly related to changes in metabolism that result in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes, increasing sensitivity to many medications. Associated with the extensive use of medication and the presence of comorbidities, the risk of drug interactions increases substantially in this population. This problem stands out in institutionalized elderly in psychiatric hospitals. Thus, this study aimed to analyze and classify potential drug-drug interactions (DDI), in institutionalized elderly in inpatient units and sheltered homes in a Center of Comprehensive Health Care. It\'s a not experimental, descriptive correlational and transversal study. The study was conducted from secondary data in the medical records of elderly patients with psychiatric and neuropsychiatric disorders that have been admitted to a Center of Comprehensive Health Care from the years 2005 to 2014. We checked all drugs prescription at the admission of hospitalization, at median of stay and at the last prescription. For data collection was used an adapted instrument of Reis (2009). For data analysis, we used the descriptive analysis and multiple logistic regression. The majority seniors were female (61.7%) aged from 60 to 69 years (54.3%), with psychiatric and clinical diagnosis concomitant (72.3%) and in use of 5 to 10 drugs (68.1%). The most prescribed drugs were those used to the nervous system. It was found that 67.0%, 74.5% and 80.8% of patients had potential DDI at admission, at median of stay and at the last prescription, respectively. It was detected a total of 1064 potential IM in the three investigated moments and found to average approximately five potential DI requirements for the patient. There was a high percentage of serious and contraindicated potencial DDI. In the logistic regression model, performed to identify predictors of DDI at the time of admission of the elderly, the age 60-69 years (OR=7.9), polypharmacy (OR=16.6) and use of drugs for the cardiovascular system (OR=11.3) and the respiratory system (OR=16.4) contributed significantly to potential DDI. At the median of stay were predictors of potential DDI the use of drugs that operate on the nervous system (OR=7.4) and polypharmacy (OR=4.9). In the last prescription, only polypharmacy was predictor of potential DDI occurrence (OR=30.1), indicating that patient safety in medication use remained compromised. The results of this investigation showed the impairment of the elderly safety regarding potential for drug interactions. Strategies such as the integration of the multidisciplinary team, the medication reconciliation and the work of nurses in assessing the elderly drug\'s process are necessary for a safe and a qualitied care

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:27:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-03-29Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:15:17Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 sacono_nt_me_arafo.pdf: 2803802 bytes, checksum: 8bad6c0c05a91cc99e6f3a68c0020209 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A mucosite é uma das complicações orais mais incidentes relacionadas à quimioterapia, que provoca ulcerações, dor, dificuldade de alimentação e pode levar à interrupção do tratamento antineoplásico. O objetivo deste estudo foi testar o efeito do LED (Ligth Emitting Diode) no tratamento da mucosite induzida por quimioterapia em hamsters. Os animais do grupo experimental (G1) e do grupo controle (G2) receberam injeção de 5-fluoruracila nos dias 0 e 2 do experimento e tiveram as mucosas direita e esquerda arranhadas nos dias 3 e 4. O G1 recebeu tratamento com LED (630 nm, 160 mW, 12 J/cm2) durante 37,5 segundos nos dias 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 e 14. A mucosa jugal foi evertida e fotografada a cada dois dias a partir do dia 4 até o dia 14. As fotografias foram classificadas por meio de uma escala de acordo com o grau de severidade da mucosite (0 a 5). O G2 não recebeu tratamento. O grupo controle negativo (G3) não foi submetido à indução de mucosite. Nos dias 5, 9, 13 e 14, as mucosas de 8 animais (G1 e G2) foram removidas para avaliação histopatológica. A análise estatística demonstrou haver diferenças significantes entre o grupo tratado com LED e o grupo não tratado (p<0,05) quando se comparou a severidade da mucosite, apesar de a avaliação histopatológica ter demonstrado degeneração muscular em aproximadamente 18% da amostra (G1). A aplicação do LED nos parâmetros utilizados neste estudo foi efetiva na redução da severidade da mucosite oral e na cicatrização das lesões, embora não tenha prevenido completamente o surgimento das mesmas. / Mucositis is the most common oral complication of cancer chemotherapy that causes pain and impairs patient's ability to eat, swallow and may determine interruption of the treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of LED (Ligth Emitting Diode) therapy on chemotherapy-induced mucositis in hamsters. The animals of both experimental (G1) and positive control group (G2) received intraperitoneal injections of 5-fluorouracil on days 0 and 2. All animals had right and left oral mucosa irritated by superficial scratching on days 3 and 4. The G1 received LED irradiation (630 nm, 160 mW, 12 J/cm2) during 37,5 seconds at days 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14. The cheek pouches were everted and photographed from day 4 until 14 at 2-day intervals. Photographs were randomly scored according to the severity of induced mucositis (0 to 5). The G2 received no treatment. The negative control group (G3) received no mucositis induction. The cheek pouches of 8 animals (G1 and G2) were dissected for histopathological examination on days 5, 9, 13 and 15. The statistical analysis showed significant differences between treated and non-treated groups (p<0,05), although histopathological findings have demonstrated muscular degeneration in 18% of the sample (G1), approximately. These results pointed out that LED therapy protocol established for this study was effective to reduce the severity of oral mucositis and accelerated the healing process, although it has not completely prevented the appearance of oral lesions.

The objective of this thesis was the description of the work of the Child and Adolescent Detoxification Centre in Prague, its importance in the treatment drug addiction among children and adolescents. Another objective was to find out about the interrelationship of the work of regional coordinators for the prevention of risk behaviour and forms of follow-up therapy according to individual needs and nature of Child and Adolescent Detoxification Centre in Prague. The research conducted in the period from January to March 2010. Mapping the variants of follow-up therapy of the clients using habit-forming drugs in different regions of the Czech Republic and the forms of prevention are other objectives. The theoretical part of the thesis contains the description of the establishment of the Hospital of Sisters of Mercy of St. Charles Borromeo, in the premises of which the Child and Adolescent Detoxification Centre (CaADC) in Prague is located, as well as the description of the CaADC, and its medical and other personnel. The thesis describes the process of hospitalization, tests which preceded it and the necessary procedures to ensure successful completion of the hospitalization. Part of the theoretical block is dedicated to the care provided by a social worker, psychologist and therapists. Related legislation that forms the basis of prevention methods of individual regional drug coordinators and the centre itself is an integral part of the work. Prevention is a critical form of struggle against the abuse of psychotropic substances by children and adolescents. It is described in detail here, as well as the factors involved in the development of addiction. Other related terms only complement the mosaic of the studied issue. Within quantitative research, a content analysis of the data from the statistics of the Child and Adolescent Detoxification Centre in Prague was used to verify set hypotheses. The responses of regional drug coordinators to a set of open and semi-open questions, which were formulated for this purpose, were also used. Another source was the results of standardized interviews with three doctors at the Child and Adolescent Detoxification Centre in Prague. Hypotheses 1, 3 and 5 have not been confirmed. On the contrary, hypotheses 2 and 4 have been confirmed. The set objectives have been met. Unfortunately, our country still lacks a sufficient number of facilities that provide follow-up care of child drug addicts, as is clear from the research.