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Page AT, Potter K, Lee G, Almutairi H, Lee K, Wang K, Ailabouni N, Etherton-Beer C. Medicines Regimens Charted for Older People Living in Residential Aged Care: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study Describing the Number of Medicines, Regimen Complexity, High-Risk Prescribing, and Potential Underprescribing. J Am Med Dir Assoc 2024; 25:104944. [PMID: 38428832 DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2024.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We aimed to explore medicines regimens charted for older people living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs). DESIGN Repeated cross-sectional study using routinely collected data sampled in a cross-sectional manner at 11 time points (day of admission, then at 1, 3, 7, 14, and 30 days, and 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months post admission). SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS The cohort is set in 34 RACFs managed by a single Australasian provider. People aged ≥65 years admitted to permanent care between January 1, 2017, and October 1, 2021, with medicines charted on the date of admission. METHODS Medicines charted were evaluated for potentially suboptimal prescribing including number of medicines, high-risk prescribing (eg, potentially inappropriate medicines, anticholinergic burden), and potential underprescribing. RESULTS The 3802 residents in the final cohort had a mean age of 84.9 ± 7.2 years at admission. At least 1 example of suboptimal prescribing was identified in 3479 (92%) residents at admission increasing to 1410 (97%) at 24 months. The number of medicines charted for each resident increased over time from 6.0 ± 3.8 regular and 2.8 ± 2.7 as required medicines at admission to 8.9 ± 4.1 regular and 8.1 ± 3.7 as required medicines at 24 months. Anticholinergic drug burden increased from 1.6 ± 2.4 at admission to 3.0 ± 2.8 at 24 months. Half the residents (2173; 57%) used at least 1 potentially inappropriate medicine at admission, which rose to nearly three-quarters (1060; 73%) at 24 months admission. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS The total number of medicines charted for older adults living in RACFs increases with length of stay, with charted as required medicines nearly tripling. Effective interventions to optimize medicines use in this vulnerable population are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Theresa Page
- School of Allied Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
| | | | - Georgie Lee
- School of Allied Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Hend Almutairi
- School of Allied Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Kenneth Lee
- School of Allied Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Kate Wang
- School of Allied Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Nagham Ailabouni
- PACE, School of Pharmacy, Health and Behavioural Sciences Faculty, University of Queensland
| | - Christopher Etherton-Beer
- WA Centre for Health and Ageing, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Department of Geriatric Medicine, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Australia
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Page AT, Potter K, Naganathan V, Hilmer S, McLachlan AJ, Lindley RI, Coman T, Mangin D, Etherton-Beer C. Polypharmacy and medicine regimens in older adults in residential aged care. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2023; 105:104849. [PMID: 36399891 DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2022.104849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To describe medicines regimens used by older people living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs). MATERIALS AND METHODS This cross-sectional study presents baseline data from a randomised controlled trial in seventeen Australian RACFs that recruited residents aged 65 years and older at the participating facilities. The main outcome measures were to evaluation of medicines utilisation, including the number of medicines, medicine regimen complexity, potential under-prescribing and high-risk prescribing (prescribing cascades, anticholinergic or sedative medicines or other potentially inappropriate medicines) with data analysed descriptively. RESULTS Medicines regimens were analysed for 303 residents (76% female) with a mean age of 85.0 ± 7.5 years, of whom the majority were living with dementia (72%). Residents were prescribed an average of 10.3 ± 4.5 regular medicines daily. Most participants (85%) had highly complex regimens. Most residents (92%) were exposed to polypharmacy (five or more medicines). Nearly all, 302 (98%) residents had at least one marker of potentially suboptimal prescribing. At least one instance of potential under-prescribing was identified in 86% of residents. At least one instance of high-risk prescribing was identified in 81% of residents including 16% of participants with at least one potential prescribing cascade. CONCLUSION(S) Potentially suboptimal prescribing affected almost all residents in this study, and most had highly complex medicines regimens. If generalisable, these findings indicate most older people in RACFs may be at risk of medicines-related harm from suboptimal prescribing, in addition to the burden of administration of complex medicines regimens for facility staff and residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Theresa Page
- Centre for Optimisation of Medicines, School of Allied Health, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia; WA Centre for Health and Ageing, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
| | | | - Vasi Naganathan
- Centre for Education and Research on Ageing (CERA), Department of Geriatric Medicine, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Concord, New South Wales, Australia; Concord Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sarah Hilmer
- Kolling Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney and Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Andrew J McLachlan
- ydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Richard I Lindley
- University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia and the George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia
| | - Tracy Coman
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, University Drive Meadowbrook, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Christopher Etherton-Beer
- WA Centre for Health and Ageing, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Department of Geriatric Medicine, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Australia
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Kwan YH, Weng SD, Loh DHF, Phang JK, Oo LJY, Blalock DV, Chew EH, Yap KZ, Tan CYK, Yoon S, Fong W, Østbye T, Low LL, Bosworth HB, Thumboo J. Measurement Properties of Existing Patient-Reported Outcome Measures on Medication Adherence: Systematic Review. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22:e19179. [PMID: 33034566 PMCID: PMC7584986 DOI: 10.2196/19179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medication adherence is essential for improving the health outcomes of patients. Various patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) have been developed to measure medication adherence in patients. However, no study has summarized the psychometric properties of these PROMs to guide selection for use in clinical practice or research. OBJECTIVE This study aims to evaluate the quality of the PROMs used to measure medication adherence. METHODS This study was guided by the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis) guidelines. Relevant articles were retrieved from the EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) databases. The PROMs were then evaluated based on the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) guidelines. RESULTS A total of 121 unique medication adherence PROMs from 214 studies were identified. Hypotheses testing for construct validity and internal consistency were the most frequently assessed measurement properties. PROMs with at least a moderate level of evidence for ≥5 measurement properties include the Adherence Starts with Knowledge 20, Compliance Questionnaire-Rheumatology, General Medication Adherence Scale, Hill-Bone Scale, Immunosuppressant Therapy Barrier Scale, Medication Adherence Reasons Scale (MAR-Scale) revised, 5-item Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS-5), 9-item MARS (MARS-9), 4-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-4), 8-item MMAS (MMAS-8), Self-efficacy for Appropriate Medication Adherence Scale, Satisfaction with Iron Chelation Therapy, Test of Adherence to Inhalers, and questionnaire by Voils. The MAR-Scale revised, MMAS-4, and MMAS-8 have been administered electronically. CONCLUSIONS This study identified 121 PROMs for medication adherence and provided synthesized evidence for the measurement properties of these PROMs. The findings from this study may assist clinicians and researchers in selecting suitable PROMs to assess medication adherence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Heng Kwan
- Program in Health Services and Systems Research,, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Si Dun Weng
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Dionne Hui Fang Loh
- PULSES Centre Grant, SingHealth Regional Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jie Kie Phang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Livia Jia Yi Oo
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Dan V Blalock
- Center of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Eng Hui Chew
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kai Zhen Yap
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Corrinne Yong Koon Tan
- Pharmacy Transformation Office, National Healthcare Group Pharmacy, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sungwon Yoon
- Program in Health Services and Systems Research,, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- PULSES Centre Grant, SingHealth Regional Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Warren Fong
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Truls Østbye
- Program in Health Services and Systems Research,, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Lian Leng Low
- PULSES Centre Grant, SingHealth Regional Health System, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Family Medicine and Continuing Care, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
- Post Acute and Continuing Care, Outram Community Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hayden Barry Bosworth
- Center of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
- School of Nursing, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Julian Thumboo
- Program in Health Services and Systems Research,, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
- NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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Kwan YH, Oo LJY, Loh DHF, Phang JK, Weng SD, Blalock DV, Chew EH, Yap KZ, Tan CYK, Yoon S, Fong W, Østbye T, Low LL, Bosworth HB, Thumboo J. Development of an Item Bank to Measure Medication Adherence: Systematic Review. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22:e19089. [PMID: 33030441 PMCID: PMC7582150 DOI: 10.2196/19089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Medication adherence is important in managing the progression of chronic diseases. A promising approach to reduce cognitive burden when measuring medication adherence lies in the use of computer‐adaptive tests (CATs) or in the development of shorter patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). However, the lack of an item bank currently hampers this progress. Objective We aim to develop an item bank to measure general medication adherence. Methods Using the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA), articles published before October 2019 were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Items from existing PROMs were classified and selected (“binned” and “winnowed”) according to standards published by the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Cooperative Group. Results A total of 126 unique PROMs were identified from 213 studies in 48 countries. Items from the literature review (47 PROMs with 579 items for which permission has been obtained) underwent binning and winnowing. This resulted in 421 candidate items (77 extent of adherence and 344 reasons for adherence). Conclusions We developed an item bank for measuring general medication adherence using items from validated PROMs. This will allow researchers to create new PROMs from selected items and provide the foundation to develop CATs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Heng Kwan
- Program in Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Livia Jia Yi Oo
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Dionne Hui Fang Loh
- PULSES Centre Grant, SingHealth Regional Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jie Kie Phang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Si Dun Weng
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Dan V Blalock
- Center of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Eng Hui Chew
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kai Zhen Yap
- Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Corrinne Yong Koon Tan
- Pharmacy Transformation Office, National Healthcare Group Pharmacy, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sungwon Yoon
- Program in Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.,PULSES Centre Grant, SingHealth Regional Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Warren Fong
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.,Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.,NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Truls Østbye
- Program in Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Lian Leng Low
- PULSES Centre Grant, SingHealth Regional Health System, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Family Medicine and Continuing Care, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.,Post Acute and Continuing Care, Outram Community Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hayden Barry Bosworth
- Center of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States.,School of Nursing, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States.,Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Julian Thumboo
- Program in Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.,NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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Schmidt SJ, Wurmbach VS, Lampert A, Bernard S, Haefeli WE, Seidling HM, Thürmann PA. Individual factors increasing complexity of drug treatment-a narrative review. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2020; 76:745-754. [PMID: 32239242 PMCID: PMC7239823 DOI: 10.1007/s00228-019-02818-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Complexity of drug treatment is known to be a risk factor for administration errors and nonadherence promoting higher healthcare costs, hospital admissions and increased mortality. Number of drugs and dose frequency are parameters often used to assess complexity related to the medication regimen. However, factors resulting from complex processes of care or arising from patient characteristics are only sporadically analyzed. Hence, the objective of this review is to give a comprehensive overview of relevant, patient-centered factors influencing complexity of drug treatment. Methods A purposeful literature search was performed in MEDLINE to identify potential complexity factors relating to the prescribed drug (i.e. dosage forms or other product characteristics), the specific medication regimen (i.e. dosage schemes or additional instructions), specific patient characteristics and process characteristics. Factors were included if they were associated to administration errors, nonadherence and related adverse drug events detected in community dwelling adult patients. Results Ninety-one influencing factors were identified: fourteen in “dosage forms”, five in “product characteristics”, twelve in “dosage schemes”, nine in “additional instructions”, thirty-one in “patient characteristics” and twenty in “process characteristics”. Conclusions Although the findings are limited by the non-systematic search process and the heterogeneous results, the search shows the influence of many factors on the complexity of drug treatment. However, to evaluate their relevance for individual patients, prospective studies are necessary. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00228-019-02818-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steffen J Schmidt
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, Witten/Herdecke University, Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße 50, 58448, Witten, Germany
| | - Viktoria S Wurmbach
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Cooperation Unit Clinical Pharmacy, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anette Lampert
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Cooperation Unit Clinical Pharmacy, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Simone Bernard
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, Witten/Herdecke University, Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße 50, 58448, Witten, Germany
| | | | - Walter E Haefeli
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Cooperation Unit Clinical Pharmacy, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hanna M Seidling
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany. .,Cooperation Unit Clinical Pharmacy, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Petra A Thürmann
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, Witten/Herdecke University, Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße 50, 58448, Witten, Germany.,Philipp Klee-Institute for Clinical Pharmacology, HELIOS Clinic Wuppertal, Heusnerstraße 40, 42283, Wuppertal, Germany
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Alves-Conceição V, Rocha KSS, Silva FVN, Silva ROS, Silva DTD, Lyra-Jr DPD. Medication Regimen Complexity Measured by MRCI: A Systematic Review to Identify Health Outcomes. Ann Pharmacother 2018; 52:1117-1134. [DOI: 10.1177/1060028018773691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: To perform a systematic review to identify health outcomes related to medication regimen complexity as measured by the Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI) instrument. Data Sources: Cochrane Library, LILACS, PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Open Thesis, and Web of Science were searched from January 1, 2004, until April 02, 2018, using the following search terms: outcome assessment, drug therapy, and Medication Regimen Complexity Index and their synonyms in different combinations. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Studies that used the MRCI instrument to measure medication regimen complexity and related it to clinical, humanistic, and/or economic outcomes were evaluated. Two reviewers independently carried out the analysis of the titles, abstracts, and complete texts according to the eligibility criteria, performed data extraction, and evaluated study quality. Data Synthesis: A total of 23 studies met the inclusion criteria; 18 health outcomes related to medication regimen complexity were found. The health outcomes most influenced by medication regimen complexity were hospital readmission, medication adherence, hospitalization, adverse drug events, and emergency sector visit. Only one study related medication regimen complexity with humanistic outcomes, and no study related medication regimen complexity to economic outcomes. Most of the studies were of good methodological quality. Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: Health care professionals should pay attention to medication regimen complexity of the patients because this may influence health outcomes. Conclusion: This study identified some health outcomes that may be influenced by medication regimen complexity: hospitalization, hospital readmission, and medication adherence were more prevalent, showing a significant association between MRCI increase and these health outcomes.
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Wimmer BC, Cross AJ, Jokanovic N, Wiese MD, George J, Johnell K, Diug B, Bell JS. Clinical Outcomes Associated with Medication Regimen Complexity in Older People: A Systematic Review. J Am Geriatr Soc 2016; 65:747-753. [PMID: 27991653 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.14682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To systematically review clinical outcomes associated with medication regimen complexity in older people. DESIGN Systematic review of EMBASE, MEDLINE, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and the Cochrane library. SETTING Hospitals, home, and long-term care. PARTICIPANTS English-language peer-reviewed original research published before June 2016 was eligible if regimen complexity was quantified using a metric that considered number of medications and at least one other parameter, regimen complexity was calculated for participants' overall regimen, at least 80% of participants were aged 60 and older, and the study investigated a clinical outcome associated with regimen complexity. MEASUREMENTS Quality assessment was conducted using an adapted version of the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool. RESULTS Sixteen observational studies met the inclusion criteria. Regimen complexity was associated with medication nonadherence (2/6 studies) and higher rates of hospitalization (2/4 studies). One study found that participants with less-complex medication administration were more likely to stop medications when feeling worse. One study each identified an association between regimen complexity and higher ability to administer medications as directed, medication self-administration errors, caregiver medication administration hassles, hospital discharge to non-home settings, postdischarge potential adverse drug events, all-cause mortality, and lower patient knowledge of their medication. Regimen complexity had no association with postdischarge medication modification, change in medication- and health-related problems, emergency department visits, or quality of life as rated by nursing staff. CONCLUSION Research into whether medication regimen complexity is associated with nonadherence and hospitalization has produced inconsistent results. Moderate-quality evidence from four studies (two each for nonadherence and hospitalization) suggests that medication regimen complexity is associated with nonadherence and higher rates of hospitalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara C Wimmer
- Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Division of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Amanda J Cross
- Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Natali Jokanovic
- Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael D Wiese
- Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Johnson George
- Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kristina Johnell
- Aging Research Center, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Basia Diug
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - J Simon Bell
- Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Toh CT, Jackson B, Gascard DJ, Manning AR, Tuck EJ. Barriers to Medication Adherence in Chronic Heart Failure Patients during Home Visits. JOURNAL OF PHARMACY PRACTICE AND RESEARCH 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/j.2055-2335.2010.tb00721.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cjeng T Toh
- Chronic Heart Failure Program; Dandenong Hospital
| | - Bruce Jackson
- Chronic Heart Failure Program, Dandenong Hospital, and Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences; Monash University
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The purpose of this review is to consider a patient-centred approach to the care of people living with HIV (PLWH) who have multimorbidity, irrespective of the specific conditions. RECENT FINDINGS Interdisciplinary care to achieve patient-centred care for people with multimorbidity is recognized as important, but the evaluation of models designed to achieve this goal are needed. Key elements of such approaches include patient preferences, interpretation of the evidence, prognosis as a tool to inform patient-centred care, clinical feasibility and optimization of treatment regimens. SUMMARY Developing and evaluating the best models of patient-centred care for PLWH who also have multimorbidity is essential. This challenge represents an opportunity to leverage the lessons learned from the care of people with multimorbidity in general, and vice versa.
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Medication non-adherence among elderly patients newly discharged and receiving polypharmacy. Drugs Aging 2014; 31:283-9. [PMID: 24604085 DOI: 10.1007/s40266-014-0163-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Poor adherence may have a major impact on clinical outcome, contributing to substantial worsening of disease, increased health care costs and even death. With increasing numbers of medications, low adherence is a growing concern, seriously undermining the benefits of current medical care. Little is known about medication adherence among older adults living at home and requiring complex medication regimens. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to describe adherence to drug prescriptions in a cohort of elderly patients receiving polypharmacy, discharged from an internal medicine ward. METHODS A sample of elderly patients (65 years of age or older) discharged from an internal medicine ward in Italy throughout 2012 were enrolled. They were followed for 3 months after discharge with a structured telephone interview to collect information on drug regimens and medication adherence 15-30 days (first follow-up) and 3 months (second follow-up) after discharge. Demographic variables including age, sex, marital status and caregiver were collected. RESULTS Among 100 patients recruited, information on medication adherence was available for, respectively, 89 and 79 patients at the first and second follow-ups. Non-adherence was reported for 49 patients (55.1 %) at the first follow-up and for 55 (69.6 %) 3 months from discharge. Voluntary withdrawal of a drug and change of dosage without medical consultation were the main reasons for non-adherence at both follow-ups. The number of drugs prescribed at discharge was related to medication non-adherence at both follow-up interviews. No association was found between age and non-adherence. Only 25 patients (28.1 %) at the first follow-up and 20 (25.3 %) at the second understood the reasons for their medications. CONCLUSIONS Low medication adherence is a real, complex problem for older patients receiving polypharmacy. We found that the increasing number of drugs prescribed at hospital discharge is correlated to non-adherence and a high percentage of patients did not understand the purpose of their medications. Simplification of drug regimens and reduction of pill burdens as well as better explanations of the reason for the medications should be targets for intervention.
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Paquin AM, Zimmerman KM, Kostas TR, Pelletier L, Hwang A, Simone M, Skarf LM, Rudolph JL. Complexity perplexity: a systematic review to describe the measurement of medication regimen complexity. Expert Opin Drug Saf 2013; 12:829-40. [PMID: 23984969 DOI: 10.1517/14740338.2013.823944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Complex medication regimens are error prone and challenging for patients, which may impact medication adherence and safety. No universal method to assess the complexity of medication regimens (CMRx) exists. The authors aim to review literature for CMRx measurements to establish consistencies and, secondarily, describe CMRx impact on healthcare outcomes. AREAS COVERED A search of EMBASE and PubMed for studies analyzing at least two medications and complexity components, among those self-managing medications, was conducted. Out of 1204 abstracts, 38 studies were included in the final sample. The majority (74%) of studies used one of five validated CMRx scales; their components and scoring were compared. EXPERT OPINION Universal CMRx assessment is needed to identify and reduce complex regimens, and, thus, improve safety. The authors highlight commonalities among five scales to help build consensus. Common components (i.e., regimen factors) included dosing frequency, units per dose, and non-oral routes. Elements (e.g., twice daily) of these components (e.g., dosing frequency) and scoring varied. Patient-specific factors (e.g., dexterity, cognition) were not addressed, which is a shortcoming of current scales and a challenge for future scales. As CMRx has important outcomes, notably adherence and healthcare utilization, a standardized tool has potential for far-reaching clinical, research, and patient-safety impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison M Paquin
- VA Boston Healthcare System , 150 South Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02130 , USA
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Guiding principles for the care of older adults with multimorbidity: an approach for clinicians: American Geriatrics Society Expert Panel on the Care of Older Adults with Multimorbidity. J Am Geriatr Soc 2012; 60:E1-E25. [PMID: 22994865 DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2012.04188.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 452] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
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Patient-centered care for older adults with multiple chronic conditions: a stepwise approach from the American Geriatrics Society: American Geriatrics Society Expert Panel on the Care of Older Adults with Multimorbidity. J Am Geriatr Soc 2012; 60:1957-68. [PMID: 22994844 DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2012.04187.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 232] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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Lee DS, de Rekeneire N, Hanlon JT, Gill TM, Bauer DC, Meibohm B, Harris TB, Jeffery SM. Cognitive Impairment and Medication Complexity in Community-Living Older Adults: The Health, Aging and Body Composition Study. J Pharm Technol 2012; 28:156-162. [PMID: 24660166 DOI: 10.1177/875512251202800405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medication complexity is a large determinant of adherence. Few studies have explored the relationship between cognitive impairment and medication complexity. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether cognitive impairment is associated with medication complexity for prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. METHODS In this cross-sectional analysis, we studied the association between cognitive impairment and the complexity of prescription and OTC drug regimens. Baseline participants were from the Health, Aging and Body Composition study, consisting of 3075 well-functioning 70- to 79-year-old black and white men and women. Cognitive impairment was defined by having a Modified Mini-Mental State Examination score <80. The complexity of prescription and OTC (including supplements/herbals) medications was assessed using a modified version of the Medication Regimen Complexity Index (mMRCI). The mMRCI score increases with complexity of dosage forms, number of medications, pill burden, and nondaily dosing. RESULTS The mean (SD) age was 74 (2.9) years (n = 3055; 52% female, 41% black). The median prescription mMRCI score was 6 (range 0-66). The median OTC mMRCI score was 4 (range 0-71). Adjusting for health status, demographics, and access to care, medication complexity was lower in participants with cognitive impairment for prescription (adjusted RR 0.89; 95% CI 0.80 to 0.99) and OTC medications (adjusted RR 0.76; 95% CI 0.64 to 0.93) compared to those without cognitive impairment. The number of prescription medications was not different, but the number of OTC drugs was lower for those with cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS In this cohort of well-functioning older adults, those with cognitive impairment had lower prescription complexity due to less-complex dosage forms, pill burden, or daily dosing. OTC complexity was also lower, primarily due to a lower number of OTC drugs. The results of this study show that further research on medication complexity and adherence and health outcomes in cognitively impaired individuals is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Sh Lee
- Section of Geriatrics, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT; now, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University/Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR
| | | | - Joseph T Hanlon
- Division of Geriatric Medicine and Geriatric Research Education, University of Pittsburgh, and Clinical Center/Center for Health Equity Research and Policy, Pittsburgh Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Thomas M Gill
- Section of Geriatrics, School of Medicine, Yale University
| | - Douglas C Bauer
- Division of General and Internal Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Bernd Meibohm
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tennessee, Memphis, TN
| | - Tamara B Harris
- Geriatric Epidemiology Section, Laboratory of Epidemiology, Demography, and Biometry, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD
| | - Sean M Jeffery
- School of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
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Dierich MT, Mueller C, Westra BL. Medication Regimens in Older Home Care Patients. J Gerontol Nurs 2011; 37:45-55. [DOI: 10.3928/00989134-20111103-02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2011] [Accepted: 10/12/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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