RxNorm Drug Interactions¶
Retrieves drug interaction data for one or more RxNorm concept IDs (RxCUIs) based on a selected relationship type. Returns a JSON-formatted string mapping each input RxCUI to its interaction results, along with a status message indicating success or error details.
Usage¶
Use this node when you have one or multiple RxCUIs and need to fetch interaction-related information constrained by a specific RxNorm relationship type (e.g., contained_in, has_precise_ingredient). Commonly placed after a search or concept-info node that yields RxCUIs. Provide either a single RxCUI or a JSON array of RxCUIs as a string; select the relationship type to tailor the interaction context.
Inputs¶
| Field | Required | Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rxcui | True | STRING | The RxNorm Concept Unique Identifier(s). Accepts a single RxCUI (e.g., "161") or a JSON array string of RxCUIs (e.g., "["161","198440"]"). When an array is provided, the node retrieves results for each RxCUI and aggregates them. | ["161","198440"] |
| relationship_type | True | STRING | The RxNorm relationship context to use when fetching interactions. Choose from: boss_of, consists_of, constitutes, contained_in, contains, dose_form_of, doseformgroup_of, form_of, has_boss, has_dose_form, has_doseformgroup, has_form, has_ingredient, has_ingredients, has_part, has_precise_ingredient, has_quantified_form, has_tradename, ingredient_of, ingredients_of, inverse_isa, isa, part_of, precise_ingredient_of, quantified_form_of, reformulated_to, reformulation_of, tradename_of. | contained_in |
Outputs¶
| Field | Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| drug_interactions | STRING | A JSON-formatted string containing the inputs and interaction results. Structure: { "rxcui": [list of input RxCUIs], "relationship_type": "...", "data": { " | { "rxcui": ["161"], "relationship_type": "contained_in", "data": { "161": { "interactionTypeGroup": [...] } } } |
| status | STRING | Human-readable status message indicating success or describing any error encountered. | Successfully retrieved drug interactions for RXCUI ['161'] with relationship type contained_in |
Important Notes¶
- Input flexibility: Provide a single RxCUI (e.g., "161") or a JSON array string (e.g., "["161","198440"]"). The node detects and handles both.
- Required input: An empty rxcui string returns an error and no results.
- Relationship scope: Results depend on the selected relationship_type and the underlying RxNorm data availability for that context.
- Output format: The node returns JSON strings; downstream nodes expecting structured data should parse the output.
- Per-RxCUI aggregation: The data field is a map keyed by each input RxCUI, allowing batch retrieval and consolidated results.
- External dependency: Results come from an external RxNorm service via the platform’s RxNorm API; service availability and rate limits can affect results.
Troubleshooting¶
- Empty RXCUI error: If status reports "Error: RXCUI cannot be empty", ensure the rxcui field contains a non-empty string or a valid JSON array string.
- Malformed list input: If providing multiple RxCUIs, ensure the rxcui value is a valid JSON array string (e.g., "["161","198440"]").
- API error messages: If status starts with "API Error:", the upstream RxNorm service returned an error. Retry later or verify the RxCUI and relationship_type.
- Unexpected or empty results: Some RxCUIs may not have interaction data for the selected relationship_type. Try a different relationship or verify the RxCUI.
- Slow or partial results with many RxCUIs: Large input lists can increase latency. Reduce the number of RxCUIs per request if necessary.
- Downstream parsing issues: The drug_interactions output is a JSON string. Ensure downstream nodes or scripts parse it to access nested fields.