Prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications in older adults in Argentina using Beers criteria and the IFAsPIAM List

Prevalence of key potentially inappropriate drugs use in pediatrics: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Appropriate drug prescribing in the pediatric population is challenging, given this age group's unique pharmacokinetics. This has inevitably led to a high incidence of adverse drug reactions in this population. To address this issue, the Pediatric Pharmacy Association (PPA) compiled a list of 67 drugs that are inappropriately used in the pediatric population called the Key Potentially Inappropriate Drugs "KIDs list".

AIM

To estimate the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) use in pediatric wards based on the KIDs list criteria.

METHODS

A retrospective observational study was conducted and included pediatric patients who were admitted to five pediatric wards during 3 years (2019-2021). The drugs in the KIDs list were matched to the hospital formulary and 11 matched drugs were included in the study. For each individual drug, the patient's electronic file was reviewed to determine the prescription appropriateness according to the KIDs list criteria.

RESULTS

Among 3,166 pediatric patients admitted to pediatric wards, a total of 415 patients received a PIM listed in the KIDs list. The mean age was 8.6 (± 4.9) years old, and 60.0% (n = 251/415) were males. The overall prevalence of PIM use was 13.0% (n = 415/3166). Among the prescribed PIM, metoclopramide was the most commonly prescribed PIM 42.8% (n = 178/415), followed by tramadol 37.6% (n = 156/415).

CONCLUSION

Given the high prevalence of inappropriate medication use in the pediatric wards, future research on strategies and interventions should be recommended to limit the use of PIMs and provide safer alternatives for the pediatric population.

The patterns and implications of potentially suboptimal medicine regimens among older adults: a narrative review

In the context of an ageing population, the burden of disease and medicine use is also expected to increase. As such, medicine safety and preventing avoidable medicine-related harm are major public health concerns, requiring further research. Potentially suboptimal medicine regimens is an umbrella term that captures a range of indicators that may increase the risk of medicine-related harm, including polypharmacy, underprescribing and high-risk prescribing, such as prescribing potentially inappropriate medicines. This narrative review aims to provide a background and broad overview of the patterns and implications of potentially suboptimal medicine regimens among older adults. Original research published between 1990 and 2021 was searched for in MEDLINE, using key search terms including polypharmacy, inappropriate prescribing, potentially inappropriate medication lists, medication errors, drug interactions and drug prescriptions, along with manual checking of reference lists. The review summarizes the prevalence, risk factors and clinical outcomes of polypharmacy, underprescribing and potentially inappropriate medicines. A synthesis of the evidence regarding the longitudinal patterns of polypharmacy is also provided. With an overview of the existing literature, we highlight a number of key gaps in the literature. Directions for future research may include a longitudinal investigation into the risk factors and outcomes of extended polypharmacy, research focusing on the patterns and implications of underprescribing and studies that evaluate the applicability of tools measuring potentially inappropriate medicines to study settings.

Polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate prescribing and medication complexity in Turkish older patients in the community pharmacy setting

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) and medication complexity in Turkish older patients in the community pharmacy setting and to determine the factors associated with PIP.

METHODS

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the community pharmacy setting in Istanbul. Older patients (≥65 years old) who chronically used at least one medication and visited the community pharmacy for any reason in the past 4 months were invited in this study. PIP was determined by using the Ghent Older People's Prescriptions Community Pharmacy Screening (GheOP³S)-tool. The Turkish version of the Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI) was used to determine medication complexity.

RESULTS

Polypharmacy (defined as the concurrent use of five or more medications) was found in 69.0% of 158 patients. A total of 398 PIPs were detected and 83.5% (n = 132) of older patients had at least one PIP. The median (IQR) MRCI score was 12.5 (7.0-19.6). The factors associated with having ≥2 PIP were advanced age (≥75 years old) (OR = 2.87, 95% CI 1.41-5.81; p < 0.05), higher number of chronic diseases (when ≥3, OR = 8.51, 95% CI 3.66-19.76; p < 0.05), receiving polypharmacy (OR = 8.92, 95% CI 4.09-19.46; p < 0.05), and higher MRCI scores (when MRCI ≥12.5, OR = 4.40, 95% CI 2.22-8.71; p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

More than half of the Turkish older patients had polypharmacy and the rate of PIP was high. A higher number of PIP was associated with advanced age, higher number of chronic diseases, polypharmacy, and more complex medication regimens.

Potentially inappropriate medication prescribing among elderly patients with cardiovascular diseases

Background/Aim. The growing number of older adults means higher medicine utilization. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency and identify risk factors of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) in the elderly population with cardiovascular diseases. Methods. The retrospective, cross-sectional study was performed in 2018, and the relevant data were collected during the period from January 2016 to December 2017. The study sample included 1,500 patients over 65 years with cardiovascular disease who had medical records at the Institute for Gerontology and Palliative Care, Belgrade. Assessment of PIM was done by standard international criteria such as the American Geriatrics Society 2015 updated Beers Criteria for PIM use in older adults. Results. PIM frequency in the elderly population was 70.3%. In relation to gender, it was more frequent in female elders. The mean number of prescribed drugs was similar for 2016 and 2017, 7.2 and 7.3, respectively. The most common were: medium-acting benzodiazepines (70.9%), central ? blockers (23.98%), and antipsychotics (typical and atypical) (20.94%). The most common comorbidity was noted in a group labeled with the International Disease Classification I00-I99, which includes heart and blood vessel diseases [n = 2,658 (36.9%)]. The most common diagnoses belonged to the subgroups I10-I15 [hypertensive diseases, n = 1,298 (18%)], I20-I25 [ischemic heart diseases n = 542 (7.5%)], I30-I52 [other forms of heart disease, n = 705 (9.8%)], I60-I69 [cerebrovascular diseases, n = 94 (1.3%)], and I80- I89 [diseases of veins, lymph vessels, and lymph nodes n = 12 (0.17%)]. The risk factors for PIM were: polypharmacy, gender, nicotine use, cognitive status, nutrition state, and the number of diseases registered in the study sample. Conclusion. Cardiovascular diseases in the elderly population are associated with a high prevalence of PIM. Creating health recommendations for prescribing drugs to the elderly that would emphasize these factors could reduce the prevalence of PIM in this population.

Prevalência e fatores associados à utilização de medicamentos potencialmente inapropriados para pessoas idosas em Rio Branco, Acre, Brasil: um estudo de base populacional

Resumo Objetivo Verificar a prevalência e analisar os fatores associados ao uso de medicamentos potencialmente inapropriados (MPI) em pessoas idosas de Rio Branco, Acre, Brasil. Método Trata-se de um estudo transversal de base populacional. A variável dependente foi uso de pelo menos um MPI, de acordo com os critérios do Consenso Brasileiro de Medicamentos Potencialmente Inapropriados para Idosos (CBMPII), independentemente da condição clínica. Na avaliação da associação entre o uso de medicamentos inapropriados e as variáveis independentes, realizou-se análise bruta e ajustada por meio de regressão logística, utilizando-se o modelo hierarquizado por razão de chances (OR). Resultados A prevalência de uso de pelo menos um MPI entre os 1.016 participantes foi de 25,9% (IC95% 22,3; 29,8), associada positivamente a sexo feminino (OR=1,38; IC95% 1,01; 1,90), dependência quanto às atividades instrumentais da vida diária (OR=1,37; IC95% 1,02; 1,83), autoavaliação de saúde negativa (OR=1,54; IC95% 1,12; 2,11), internação nos últimos 12 meses (OR=1,79; IC95% 1,19; 2,69) e presença de mais de três comorbidades (OR= 2,56; IC95% 1,97; 3,33). A subcategoria mais utilizada foi dos inibidores de bombas de prótons, por 11,3% (9,2; 13,8). Conclusão A prevalência de uso de MPI por idosos da amostra foi de um quarto, estando associada ao sexo feminino e a condições de saúde. Ações de conscientização fazem-se necessárias para garantia dos benefícios no uso dos medicamentos.

Potentially inappropriate medication in acute hospitalized elderly patients with polypharmacy: an observational study comparing PRISCUS, STOPP, and Beers criteria

PURPOSE

To compare the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) in the elderly according to the PRISCUS list, STOPP criteria, and Beers criteria. Secondary, to describe the differences using the three criteria focused on the inappropriate prescription of psychotropic drugs in the elderly.

METHODS

A retrospective study was performed at Severo Ochoa University Hospital. The study included 365 patients, aged 80 years and older, living in Madrid, Spain.

RESULTS

93.42% of patients received at least one PIM during hospitalization. Using the PRISCUS list, this changed from 32.6 to 2.7% at discharge. Applying STOPP criteria lowered the percentage from 65.20 to 10.95%, and with Beers criteria from 80.27 to 10.13. Lower Barthel index at admission was associated with an increased relative risk for receiving at least one PIM (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.15-2.80, p = 0.024) using PRISCUS list as a tool in conjunction with STOPP criteria (OR 1.44, 95% CI 0.89-2.33, p = 0.037). Polypharmacy at admission predicted the presence of PIMs with STOPP criteria (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.07-2.84, p = 0.001). Regarding psychotropic medicines, 208 patients (56.98%) received at least one psychotropic medicine during hospitalization. A total of 26.30% of patients were treated with psychotropic medicines, detected by the PRISCUS list, and 53.97% and 29.85% with STOPP and Beers, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Explicit criteria are a useful tool for identifying during hospitalization of the elderly patients. As indicated by the results, new research is needed to carry out an adaptation in our country that includes an evaluation of the strengths of the three tools to decrease PIMs and improve prescription in the elderly.

Integration of Community pharmacy and pharmacists in primary health care policies in Argentina

Argentina is a federal republic with approximately 44 million people, divided into 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires. The health system is segmented into public, social security and private subsystems. The social security and private sectors cover more than 60% of the population. Total health expenditure in 2017 was 9.4% of gross domestic product. Primary health care (PHC) was considered as the principal strategy for universal coverage policy for health system reform in Latin America at the end of 20th century. The most remarkable characteristics of the Argentinian health system are its fragmentation and disorganization. An increase of public sector demands, due to a socioeconomic crisis, led to the subsequent collapse of the system, caused primarily by a sustained lack of investment. First care level decentralization to the Integral Health Service Delivery Networks (IHSDN) becomes the cornerstone of a PHC-based system. Pharmacists and community pharmacies are not formally mentioned in PHC policies or IHSDN. However, pharmacies are recognized as healthcare establishments as part of the first care level. Community pharmacists are the only health care professional whose profit comes from the margin on product sales. Contracts with social security and private insurances provide small margins which reduce the viability of community pharmacies. There is a preference by community pharmacies to diversify product sales instead of providing professional services. This is driven by marketing and economic pressures rather than patient care and health policies. Dispensing is the main professional activity followed by management of minor illness and associated product recommendations. Currently, there are no national practice guidelines or standard operating procedures for the provision of pharmaceutical services and there is no nationally agreed portfolio of services. National pharmacy organizations appear to have no official strategic statements or plans which would guide community pharmacies. There are some isolated experiences in community pharmacies and in public first care level pharmacies that demonstrate the possibilities and opportunities for implementing pharmaceutical services under the PHC approach. There is a real lack of integration of community pharmacies and pharmacists in the healthcare system.

Potentially inappropriate medications involved in drug-drug interactions at hospital discharge in Croatia

Background The potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and drug-drug interactions (DDIs) can significantly affect patient safety in the elderly, especially at transition of health care. Objective The aim of this study is to evaluate PIMs involved in potentially clinically significant DDIs in prescribed pharmacotherapy of elderly patients at hospital discharge. Setting Internal Medicine Clinic of University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia. Method During a 16-month period, the pharmacotherapy data were assessed using Lexicomp Online screening software to identify category C (monitor drug therapy), D (consider therapy modification) and X (avoid combination) DDIs. The European Union (EU)(7)-PIM criteria were applied to detect inappropriately prescribed medications involved in DDIs. Clinical pharmacists obtained data from patients' medical records and patient/caregiver interviews. Main outcome measure The incidence of PIMs involved in potentially clinically significant DDIs. Results A total of 364 consecutive elderly patients were enrolled in the study. The mean number of prescription medications at discharge was 9.3. Overall, 2833 potentially clinically significant DDIs were identified: 2445 (86.3%) of them were category C, 347 (12.3%) category D and 41 (1.4%) were category X interactions. A total of 1164 PIMs were involved in 31.2% of category C interactions, 60.2% of category D interactions and 43.9% of category X interactions. The most frequent PIMs involved in potentially clinically significant DDIs were tramadol, benzodiazepines, moxonidine, vildagliptin and metoclopramide. Conclusion A very high incidence of DDIs in elderly patients and a high incidence of PIMs involved in DDIs was determined at hospital discharge.

Potentially inappropriate medications in Chinese community-dwelling older adults

Background There is a lack of data on the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in community-dwelling older adults in China. Objective To assess the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication in community dwelling older adults in China and to investigate risk factors associated with the use of such medication. Setting Ambulatory Care Clinic of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University. Method A cross-sectional retrospective review of prescriptions for older patients (aged ≥ 65 years) was performed using the 2019 American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Beers Criteria and the 2017 Chinese Criteria. We only assessed potentialli inappropriate medications independently from diagnosis and drug-drug interactions. Each patient was classified as PIM-user or non-PIM-user, according to whether a patient took at least one potentially inappropriate medication. Main outcome measure Prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication based on the two criteria. Results A total of 8477 medications among 1874 elderly patients were examined over the study period from January 1 to December 31, 2018. The Chinese Criteria detected significantly more PIM-users than the AGS Beers Criteria (50.6% vs 35.0%, P < 0.001), and also a higher percentage of inappropriate medication in prescribed medications (14.7% vs 8.5%, P < 0.001). Benzodiazepines, anticholinergics, antipsychotics, and insulin were the most frequently prescribed classes by both criteria. Alprazolam (47.7%) was the most frequently found inappropriate medicine based on the 2019 AGS Beers Criteria compared to clopidogrel (42.2%) based on the Chinese Criteria. The number of medications was a significant risk factor to the use of potentially inappropriate medication in both criteria. Conclusion The prevalence of the use of potentially inappropriate medication in Chinese community-dwelling older adults is high, and explicit criteria are a useful tool to evaluate the prescription of such medication in the elderly.

Medicamentos potencialmente inapropriados prescritos a pacientes de um Centro de Referência em Atenção à Saúde da Pessoa Idosa

Resumo Objetivo Analisar o perfil farmacoterapêutico dos idosos atendidos em um Centro de Referência em Atenção à Saúde da Pessoa Idosa quanto ao uso de medicamentos potencialmente inapropriados (MPI) por meio de três critérios de rastreamento e determinar fatores associados à prescrição de MPI. Método Estudo transversal com dados obtidos por revisão retrospectiva dos prontuários de idosos, atendidos entre 2017 e 2018 por médico geriatra. Para identificar os MPI, utilizaram-se os Critérios de Beers, o Screening Tool of Older Persons’ Potentially Inappropriate Prescriptions (STOPP) e o Consenso Brasileiro de Medicamentos Potencialmente Inapropriados para Idosos. Características relacionadas ao perfil sociodemográfico (idade e sexo), de hábitos de vida (tabagismo e consumo de álcool), clínico (doenças) e farmacoterapêutico (medicamentos e Índice de Complexidade da Farmacoterapia - ICFT) foram avaliadas. Resultados Foram analisados 406 prontuários e identificados 3.059 medicamentos prescritos, dos quais 32,1% são MPI segundo Critérios STOPP, 14,4% pelo Consenso Brasileiro e 11,7% pelos Critérios de Beers. No total, 81,1% dos idosos apresentaram ao menos um MPI. Regressão de Poisson demonstrou associação entre a prescrição de MPI com polifarmácia, maior número de sinais e sintomas e maior valor de ICFT em ao menos um dos critérios. A força de concordância entre os critérios de MPI foi moderada. Conclusões A maioria dos prontuários analisados possuíam ao menos um MPI prescrito, sendo que os Critérios STOPP identificaram uma maior quantidade de MPI. Estratégias devem ser implementadas para melhorar a farmacoterapia dos idosos com atenção para os que apresentam fatores associados a MPI em seu perfil.