Object:

To characterize the serious adverse reactions avoidable by antivirals present in the Cuban Pharmacovigilance System during the years 2008 to 2017.

Materials and methods:

Quantitative, observational and descriptive research; framed within the pharmacovigilance studies, with a case series design. The sample conformed by the reports of avoidable serious adverse reactions caused by these drugs. Variables were: identified adverse reaction, age group, sex, antiviral drug, frequency and causes of preventability.

Results:

Severe avoidable adverse reactions to antivirals were presented at an irregular level that shows a tendency to increase. They predominated in men (77.8%) and in adults (94.4%). Zidovudine (44.4%) and nevirapine (38.9%) showed the highest number of reports, related to the appearance of anemia and Stevens-Johnson syndrome. The doctors reported 72.2% of the cases. The reactions found are described as frequent. Drug interactions (61.1%) was the main cause of preventability.

Conclusions:

The characterization of the serious adverse reactions avoidable to the antivirals allowed to identify that they were in their majority produced by antiretroviral and occurred mainly in adult men; anemia and Stevens-Johnson syndrome were the most frequent. The causes of preventability identified with greater frequency correspond to errors of the prescription.

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