Impact of inappropriate drug use on mortality and functional status in representative community dwelling elders

Effect of the use of potentially inappropriate medications on the mortality of Brazilian older adults: SABE cohort study

OBJECTIVE

Investigate the association between potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use and the risk of death among community-dwelling older Brazilian adults.

METHODS

Participants from the Health, Well-Being, and Aging Cohort Study (SABE) in São Paulo, Brazil, between 2000 and 2016 were included. The dependent variable was all-cause mortality, measured as the time elapsed until death. The exposure of interest was the use of PIM according to the Beers Criteria 2019 version. All covariates, except for sex and education, were considered time-varying.

RESULTS

PIM use was not associated with mortality after adjusting for covariates (HR = 0.99; 95 % CI: 0.88-1.12). There was a significant interaction between PIM use and age (HR = 0.98; 95 % CI: 0.96-0.99).

CONCLUSION

The association between PIM use and the risk of death was moderated by age. Future studies should consider the impact of necessary medication omissions when assessing the mortality risk associated with PIM use.

Antimuscarinic use among older adults with dementia and overactive bladder: a Medicare beneficiaries study

OBJECTIVES

This study examined the incidence and predictors of antimuscarinic medication use including non-selective antimuscarinics among older adults with dementia and overactive bladder (OAB).

METHODS

The study used a new-user cohort design involving older adults (≥65 years) with dementia and OAB based on 2013-2015 Medicare data. Antimuscarinics included non-selective (oxybutynin, tolterodine, trospium, fesoterodine) and selective (solifenacin, darifenacin) medications. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the incidence and predictors of new antimuscarinic use including non-selective antimuscarinics, respectively.

RESULTS

Of the 3.38 million Medicare beneficiaries with dementia, over one million (1.05) had OAB (31.03%). Of those, 287,612 (27.39%) were reported as prevalent antimuscarinics users. After applying continuous eligibility criteria, 21,848 (10.34%) incident antimuscarinic users were identified (77.6% non-selective; 22.4% selective). Most frequently reported antimuscarinics were oxybutynin (56.3%) and solifenacin (21.4%). Multivariable analysis revealed that patients ≥75 years, of black race, and those with schizophrenia, epilepsy, delirium, and Elixhauser's score were less likely to initiate antimuscarinics. Women, those with abnormal involuntary movements, bipolar disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome, muscle spasm/low back pain, neuropathic pain, benign prostatic hyperplasia, falls/fractures, myasthenia gravis, narrow-angle glaucoma, Parkinson's disease, syncope, urinary tract infection and vulvovaginitis were more likely to initiate antimuscarinics. Further, patients with muscle spasms/low back pain, benign prostatic hyperplasia and those taking higher level anticholinergics had lower odds of receiving non-selective antimuscarinics, whereas white patients, black patients and those with schizophrenia and delirium were more likely to receive them.

CONCLUSIONS

Nearly one-third of dementia patients had OAB and over one-fourth of them used antimuscarinics. Majority of the incident users were prescribed non-selective antimuscarinics with several demographic and clinical factors contributing to their use. Given the high prevalence of OAB among dementia patients, there is a need to optimize their antimuscarinic use, considering their vulnerability for anticholinergic adverse effects.

Risk of Potentially Inappropriate Medications in Adults With CKD: Findings From the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE

Adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may be at increased risk of adverse effects from use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs). Our objective was to assess whether PIM exposure has an independent association with CKD progression, hospitalizations, mortality, or falls.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective observational study.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS

Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) study; 3,929 adults with CKD enrolled 2003-2008 and followed prospectively until December 2011.

EXPOSURE

PIM exposure was defined as prescriptions for any medications to be avoided in older adults as defined by the 2015 American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria.

OUTCOME

Hospitalization count, death, a composite kidney disease end point of CKD progression or initiation of kidney replacement therapy (KRT), KRT, and fall events assessed 1 year after PIM exposure.

ANALYTICAL APPROACH

Logistic regression and Poisson regression to estimate the associations of PIM exposure with each outcome.

RESULTS

The most commonly prescribed PIMs were proton pump inhibitors and α-blockers. In unadjusted models, any PIM exposure (compared to none) was associated with hospitalizations, death, and fall events. After adjustment, exposure to 1, 2, or≥3 PIMs had a graded association with a higher hospitalization rate (rate ratios of 1.09 [95% CI, 1.01-1.17], 1.18 [95% CI, 1.07-1.30], and 1.35 [95% CI, 1.19-1.53], respectively) and higher odds of mortality (odds ratios of 1.19 [95% CI, 0.91-1.54], 1.62 [95% CI, 1.21-2.17], and 1.65 [95% CI, 1.14-2.41], respectively). In a cohort subset reporting falls (n=1,109), prescriptions for≥3 PIMs were associated with an increased risk of falls (adjusted OR, 2.85 [95% CI, 1.54-5.26]). PIMs were not associated with CKD progression or KRT. Age did not modify the association between PIM count and outcomes.

LIMITATIONS

Measurement bias; confounding by indication.

CONCLUSIONS

Adults of any age with CKD who are prescribed PIMs have an increased risk of hospitalization, mortality, and falls with the greatest risk occurring after more than 1 PIM prescription.

Failure to Reach a Consensus in Polypharmacy Definition: An Obstacle to Measuring Risks and Impacts-Results of a Literature Review

INTRODUCTION

The risk of polypharmacy is on the rise in most industrialized countries, threatening to burden their health systems. Although many definitions exist and numerous concepts are found in literature as synonyms, the phenomenon of polypharmacy remains poorly defined. The aim of this literature review is to provide an overview of available definitions of polypharmacy, to analyse their convergences and divergences and to discuss the consequences on the assessment of the problem.

METHODS

A literature review was conducted to identify all published systematic reviews on definitions of polypharmacy available via Scopus and Pubmed databases. The Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) tool was used to appraise the methodological quality of the selected reviews. Available definitions and other characteristics were extracted; summarised in a table and analysed.

RESULTS

Six systematic reviews were identified. They were published between 2000 and 2018. Three focussed on definitions of polypharmacy in the elderly; two in the general population and one in children. The strategy adopted in reviews is more rigorous in the most recent ones. However, they remain, at best, partially exhaustive. The definitions found in the literature used two main approaches, either (i) quantitative, applying varying thresholds and types of polypharmacy based on the number of medications being taken by the patient (ii) qualitative, based on the clinical indications and effects of a given drug regimen, with a growing number of characteristics to describe polypharmacy. The term "inappropriate" is increasingly associated with polypharmacy especially in studies that aimed to use this definition to identify possible solutions for healthcare providers in the field related to aging.

CONCLUSION

This review confirms a high variability and an evolution in the approaches defining "polypharmacy" in the absence of a consensus following standardized criteria. That makes it very difficult to estimate and measure the outcomes associated with this phenomenon.

Factors Associated with Functional Disability Among Lebanese Elderly Living in Rural Areas: Role of Polypharmacy, Alcohol Consumption, and Nutrition-based on the Aging and Malnutrition in Elderly Lebanese (AMEL) Study

The objective is to describe disability risk factors in Lebanese elderly living in rural settings, focusing on the role of polypharmacy, alcohol consumption, and nutrition. The Aging and Malnutrition in Elderly Lebanese study, a cross-sectional population-based one (April 2011–April 2012), included 1200 individuals aged ≥65 years from 24 Lebanese rural districts. The results showed that 288 (24%) were disabled and 287 (23.9%) exposed to polypharmacy. More disabled participants were found among patients exposed to polypharmacy (40.8%) than those who were not (18.8%). Major classes associated with disability were “Parkinson” and “Alzheimer” medications, with “alcohol consumption” being responsible for a major interaction with medications. Chronic diseases, nutrition, and socioeconomic status also had a large effect on disability. Skin ulcer (ORa = 8.569; CI 5.330–14.823), followed by dementia (ORa = 3.667; CI 1.167–8.912), and anti-gout drugs (ORa = 3.962; CI 1.290–7.622) were found to be significantly associated with increased odds of disability the most. Many factors are associated with disability among elderly, including polypharmacy and the association of medications with alcohol. Counseling of the elderly caregivers is warranted.

Potentially inappropriate medication prescribing in the elderly: Is the Beers Criteria relevant in the Emergency Department today?

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To investigate the frequency of Beers Criteria (BC) medication and opioid use in patients age 65 years and older arriving in the Emergency Department.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective observational study of a convenience sample of 400 patients, age 65 years and older, arriving to and discharged solely from the Emergency Department. We examined 400 sequential patient charts with visit dates April-July 2017, for the presence of a Beers Criteria medication or opioid prescription. We also examined each chart for nine specific chief complaints, including return visits and subsequent admissions.

RESULTS

Of the 400 patients included in this study, 304 patients (76%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 72% to 80%) had at least 1 prescription at the index ED visit for an "avoid" or "use with caution" Beers Criteria medication. Of these patients, 194 (64%; 95% CI 58% to 69%) had ≥2 Beers medication prescriptions and 122 patients (40%; 95% CI 35% to 46%) had ≥3 Beers medication prescriptions. We found no difference in the number of patients with a chief complaint of interest between the BC medication list (28%) and lacking a BC medication (29%) (p-value = 1). No patients returned in the next 7 days for a medication-related complaint.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study call into question the routine application of lists without high-quality evidence to critique the prescribing of certain medications. Further patient-oriented study of the relevance of the Beers Criteria list, especially in light of the changed face of medication profiles and populations, is called for.

Potentially Inappropriate Prescribing Among Older Persons: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

PURPOSE

Potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) is a common yet preventable medical error among older persons in primary care. It is uncertain whether PIP produces adverse outcomes in this population, however. We conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis to pool the adverse outcomes of PIP specific to primary care.

METHOD

We searched PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, PsycINFO, and previous review articles for studies related to "older persons," "primary care," and "inappropriate prescribing." Two reviewers selected eligible articles, extracted data, and evaluated the risk of bias. Meta-analysis was conducted to pool studies with similar PIP criteria and outcome measures.

RESULTS

Of the 2,804 articles identified, we included 8 articles with a total of 77,624 participants. All included studies had cohort design and low risk of bias. Although PIP did not affect mortality (risk ratio [RR] 0.98; 95% CI, 0.93-1.05), it was significantly associated with the other available outcomes, including emergency room visits (RR 1.63; 95% CI, 1.32-2.00), adverse drug events (RR 1.34; 95% CI, 1.09-1.66), functional decline (RR 1.53; 95% CI, 1.08-2.18), health-related quality of life (standardized mean difference -0.26; 95% CI, -0.36 to -0.16), and hospitalizations (RR 1.25; 95% CI, 1.09-1.44). A majority of the pooled estimates had negligible heterogeneity.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis provides consolidated evidence on the wide-ranging impact of PIP among older persons in primary care. It highlights the need to identify PIP in primary care, calls for further research on PIP interventions in primary care, and points to the need to consider potential implications when deciding on the operational criteria of PIP.

Toward safer prescribing: evaluation of a prospective drug utilization review system on inappropriate prescriptions, prescribing patterns, and adverse drug events and related health expenditure in South Korea

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the prospective drug utilization review (DUR) system introduced in Korea in December 2010 as a real-time method to improve patient safety, in terms of changes in prescribing practices, adverse drug events (ADEs), and ADE-related healthcare expenditure, using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and their common ADEs as a guide.

STUDY DESIGN

We used an interrupted time-series study design using generalized estimating equations to evaluate changes in prescription rate and ADE-related healthcare expenditure. Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the probability of NSAID-associated ADEs.

METHODS

A total of 154,585 outpatients with musculoskeletal or connective tissue disorders, without pre-existing gastric bleeding or ulcers were included in this study. The primary outcome was the level and trend change in prescription rate, drug-drug interactions, coprescribed gastro-protective drugs, and defined daily dose (DDD) of NSAIDs. The secondary outcome was the probability of ADEs and changes in ADE-related healthcare expenditure.

RESULTS

There was a significant trend change after introducing the DUR system in terms of drug-drug interactions (-3.6%) and coprescribed gastro-protective drugs (+0.6%). The mean DDD of NSAIDs increased by 0.2. The probability of ADEs decreased overall (-1.7%) and in the high-risk group (age ≥65 years; -9.6%); however, only the latter was significant. There was no significant trend or level change in ADE-related health expenditure.

CONCLUSIONS

The introduction of the DUR system was associated with more efficient prescribing, including a reduction in drug-drug interactions and an increase in the use of gastro-protective drugs. The system had a positive effect on patient outcome but was not associated with reduced ADE-related costs. Further studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effects of the DUR system in Korea.

Impact of potentially inappropriate medications and polypharmacy on 3-month readmission among older patients discharged from acute care hospital: a prospective study

BACKGROUND

Polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) are known to affect several negative outcomes in older patients. However, studies comparatively assessing polypharmacy and PIMs in relation to readmission are distinctively lacking.

AIMS

To compare the impact of polypharmacy and PIMs on 3-month readmission among older patients discharged from acute care hospital.

METHODS

Our series consisted of 647 patients consecutively enrolled in a multicenter observational study. The outcome of the study was the occurrence of any admission during the 3-month follow-up after discharge. Polypharmacy was defined as use of more than eight medications. PIMs were identified using 2015 version of Beers and Screening Tool of Older Persons Prescriptions (STOPP) criteria. Statistical analysis was performed using logistic regression models.

RESULTS

After adjusting for potential confounders, polypharmacy (OR 2.72, 95% CI 1.48-4.99) was found associated with the outcome, while Beers (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.46-1.56), STOPP (OR 1.60, 95% CI 0.85-3.01), or combined Beers and STOPP violations (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.57-1.74) were not. The association between polypharmacy and 3-month readmission was confirmed in logistic regression models including Beers (OR 2.88, 95% CI 1.55-5.34), STOPP (OR 2.64, 95% CI 1.43-4.87), or combined Beers and STOPP violations (OR 2.80, 95% CI 1.51-5.21).

DISCUSSION

Besides confirming that polypharmacy should be considered as a marker for readmission risk among older patients discharged from acute care hospital, our findings suggest that the association between polypharmacy and 3-month readmission is substantially independent of use of PIMs.

CONCLUSIONS

Polypharmacy, but not PIMs was significantly associated with readmission. Hospitalization should always be considered as a clue to individuate unnecessary polypharmacy and to reduce the burden of medications whenever possible.

[Diseases as a 'Stumbling Block' - a Case of Multimorbidity in Clinical Practice]

Diseases as a `Stumbling Block` - a Case of Multimorbidity in Clinical Practice Abstract. Here we report on a 83 year-old patient with cardiac syncope and consecutive traumatic brain injury with intracranial haemorrhage receiving anticoagulation for recurrent pulmonary embolism: a 'medical dilemma' due to the syncope with consecutive traumatic event and the underlying condition. A pre-existing underlying cardiac disease was identified as the cause of the syncope and the intracranial haemorrhage was most likely due to oral anticoagulation for recurrent pulmonary embolisms. The intracranial bleeding inhibited an optimal management of the underlying cardiac condition and the patient deceased shortly thereafter.

Potentially Inappropriate Medications and the Time to Full Functional Recovery After Hip Fracture

BACKGROUND

Older adults after hip fracture are at increased risk of being prescribed potentially inappropriate medications, and may be particularly vulnerable to their adverse effects.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to examine the association of potentially inappropriate medication use with the time to full functional recovery within 1 year of hip fracture repair.

METHODS

We conducted a secondary analysis of a prospective longitudinal study of eight hospitals in St. Louis, MO, USA. The participants were older adults (n = 477) aged 60 years or older who had undergone surgical repair of a hip fracture free of delirium, dementia or depression at baseline. Drugs at baseline were categorised using the American Geriatrics Society 2012 Beers criteria. The outcome was the Functional Recovery Scale total score measured at four time points during a 12-month period of observation. Cox proportional hazards models examined the time to 95% recovery of function ('full recovery'), adjusting for demographics, cognition, depression, medical co-morbidity, pre-fracture functioning and pain as covariates.

RESULTS

Potentially inappropriate medication use was common following hip fracture, with 51% of participants prescribed at least one potentially inappropriate medication and 17.4% prescribed two or more potentially inappropriate medications. Potentially inappropriate medication use was significantly associated with a longer time to achieve full recovery with a hazard ratio of 0.69 (95% confidence interval 0.52-0.92; p = 0.012) and this association was stronger for two or more potentially inappropriate medications compared with one potentially inappropriate medication (hazard ratio = 0.60; 95% confidence interval 0.40-0.90; p = 0.014).

CONCLUSION

Potentially inappropriate medication use was associated with a longer time to full functional recovery in older adults who underwent surgery for a hip fracture, particularly in those using two or more potentially inappropriate medications at baseline.

Potentially Inappropriate Antidepressant Prescriptions Among Older Adults in Office-Based Outpatient Settings: National Trends from 2002 to 2012

Using data from 2002 to 2012 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, we estimated that the prevalence of overall antidepressant prescriptions increased almost twofold from 5.2% in 2002 to 10.1% in 2012 in office-based outpatient visits made by older adults. In addition, older adults were exposed to the risk of potentially avoidable adverse drug events in approximately one in ten antidepressant-related visits, or 2.2 million visits annually. Amitriptyline and doxepin were the two most frequent disease-independent potentially inappropriate antidepressants. Racial/ethnic minorities, and Medicaid beneficiaries had higher odds of potentially inappropriate antidepressant prescriptions (P < 0.05). Efforts to minimize potentially inappropriate antidepressant prescriptions are needed.

Risk of hospitalization associated with anticholinergic medication for patients with dementia

BACKGROUND

With the ageing of the general population, demand has grown for measures to prevent hospitalization for dementia, which can exacerbate problems associated with activities of daily living in elderly individuals. Anticholinergic medication has been shown to cause falls, delirium, and cognitive impairment in aged patients. However, the risk of hospitalization associated with the administration of anticholinergics is unclear.

METHODS

We analyzed the records of 61 outpatients (26 men, 35 women; mean age: 78 ± 7 years; mean follow-up period: 420 days) diagnosed with dementia (Alzheimer's disease: n = 45; dementia with Lewy bodies: n = 3; undifferentiated n = 13) and prescribed anti-dementia drugs between May 2013 and December 2014. Medication history was noted, and the patients were divided into two groups according to the Anticholinergic Risk Scale: with risk (n = 13) and without risk (n = 48). Outcome was judged based on an end-point of hospitalization or death. Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox proportional hazard analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Eight patients with anticholinergic risk and 12 without anticholinergic risk reached the end-point (P < 0.005). Analysis with a proportional hazard model showed that anticholinergic medication administration was related to a higher risk for reaching the end-point (crude hazard ratio: 3.62, 95% confidence interval: 1.45-9.04, P < 0.01; adjusted hazard ratio: 4.54, 95% confidence interval: 1.03-20.0, P < 0.05). In contrast, Mini-Mental State Examination score, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and the number of drugs were not major risk factors for hospitalization in patients with dementia.

CONCLUSION

The Anticholinergic Risk Scale findings were shown to be a strong predictor of hospitalization for patients with dementia. We should evaluate the anticholinergic burden before initiating anti-dementia therapy.

A multi-center, randomized, controlled trial to assess the efficacy of optimization of drug prescribing in an elderly population, at 18 months of follow-up, in the evolution of functional autonomy: the OPTIM study protocol

BACKGROUND

Pharmacotherapy is necessary for the management of many diseases which number increased with aging. However, potentially inappropriate prescriptions and polymedication increases iatrogenic risks and can lead to adverse events. To limit the consequences of potentially harmful prescriptions, optimization of drug prescribing is a major stake of improving quality and safety of care in the elderly. The purpose of the OPTIM study is to study the impact of the optimization of drug prescribing on the evolution of functional autonomy at 18 months of follow-up.

METHODS

A multicenter, open-label, Randomized Controlled Trial was designed to assess the impact of an optimization program of drug prescribing consisting in a clinical medication review by a pharmacist, in collaboration with specialist physician of the geriatric/memory center and the referent physician, on the evolution of functional autonomy level, measured during 18 months of follow-up. The study will include 302 elderly outpatients visiting geriatric and memory centers, randomly distributed in one of the two parallel groups. One group will benefit of the intervention, while the other will be considered as control group. The effect of the intervention on evolution of the level of autonomy function, defined with repeated measures, will be estimated in a generalized linear mixed model. The intervention will be considered significant if the interaction between time and the study group is significant. Secondary analysis will be conducted to assess the impact of the intervention on secondary clinical outcomes.

DISCUSSION

The "OPTIM" program should enable optimization of drug prescribing in elderly patients and therefore slow or prevent progression to loss of functional autonomy. It should also help to strengthen collaboration between the hospital team of geriatric/neurologist, the pharmacist and the private practice who are all involved in caring for the patient's health. The benefits for the patient are thus optimizing its medical management by linking health professionals met during his care pathway. In addition, pharmaceutical recommendations sent to referent physicians should help raise awareness of the prescription of drugs in these patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER CLINICALTRIALS

NCT02740764.

Impact of Drug-Drug and Drug-Disease Interactions on Gait Speed in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

BACKGROUND

Gait speed decline, an early marker of functional impairment, is a sensitive predictor of adverse health outcomes in older adults. The effect of potentially inappropriate medications, including drug-disease and drug-drug interactions, on gait speed decline is not well known.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine if drug interactions impair functional status as measured by gait speed.

METHODS

The sample included 2402 older adults with medication and gait speed data from the Health, Aging and Body Composition study. The independent variable was the frequency of drug-disease and/or drug-drug interactions at baseline and 3 additional years. The main outcome was a clinically meaningful gait speed decline of ≥0.1 m/s the year following drug interaction assessment. Adjusted odds ratios and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using multivariate generalized estimating equations for both the overall sample and a sample stratified by gait speed at time of drug interaction assessment.

RESULTS

The prevalence of drug-disease and drug-drug interactions ranged from 7.6 to 9.3 and 10.5 to 12.3 %, respectively, with few participants (3.8-5.7 %) having multiple drug interactions. At least 22 % of participants had a gait speed decline of ≥0.1 m/s annually. Drug interactions were not significantly associated with gait speed decline overall or in the stratified sample of fast walkers. There was some evidence, however, that drug interactions increased the risk of gait speed decline among those participants with slower gait speeds, though p values did not reach statistical significance (adjusted odds ratio 1.22; 95 % CIs 0.96-1.56; p = 0.11). Moreover, a marginally significant dose-response relationship was seen with multiple drug interactions and gait speed decline (adjusted odds ratio 1.40; 95 % CIs 0.95-2.04; p = 0.08).

CONCLUSIONS

Drug interactions may increase the likelihood of gait speed decline among older adults with evidence of preexisting debility. Future studies should focus on frail elders with less physiological reserve who may be more susceptible to the harms associated with potentially inappropriate medications.

The effectiveness of optimised clinical medication reviews for geriatric patients: Opti-Med a cluster randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Inappropriate drug use is a frequent problem in older patients and associated with adverse clinical outcomes and an important determinant of geriatric problems. Clinical medication reviews (CMR) may reduce inappropriate drug use.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of CMR on quality of life (QoL) and geriatric problems in comparison with usual care in older patients with geriatric problems in the general practice.

METHODS

We performed a cluster randomised controlled trial in 22 Dutch general practices. Patients of ≥65 years were eligible if they newly presented with pre-specified geriatric symptoms in general practice and the chronic use of ≥1 prescribed drug. The intervention consisted of CMRs which were prepared by an independent expert team and discussed with the patient by the general practitioner. Primary outcomes: QoL and the presence of self-reported geriatric problems after a follow-up period of 6 months.

RESULTS

518 patients were included. No significant differences between the intervention and control group and over time were found for QoL, geriatric problems, satisfaction with medication and self-reported medication adherence. After 6 months the percentage of solved Drug Related Problems (DRPs) was significantly higher in the intervention group compared to the control group [B 22.6 (95%CI 14.1-31.1), P < 0.001].

CONCLUSION

The study intervention did not influence QoL and geriatric problems. The higher percentage of solved DRPs in the intervention group did not result in effects on the patient's health. CMRs on a large scale seem not meaningful and should be reconsidered.

The Association of Potentially Inappropriate Medication at Older Age With Cardiovascular Events and Overall Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this systematic review was to identify, evaluate, and meta-analyze cohort studies reporting the association of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) intake with mortality and cardiovascular events.

DESIGN

A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective and retrospective cohort studies were conducted. Study appraisal included a thorough risk of bias assessment. Data synthesis followed a random-effects model.

DATA SOURCES

The included studies were retrieved from the databases MEDLINE and ISI Web of Knowledge. Additionally, the authors checked the references of the included studies for further relevant literature.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES

For inclusion in a study, the population needed to be older than 60 years of age and not restricted to having one specific disease. The outcome had to address all-cause mortality or cardiovascular events. Studies that examined polypharmacy or specific drugs were excluded.

RESULTS

At first, 13 studies were included in a meta-analysis. The association of PIM with overall mortality was not statistically significant (risk ratio; 95% confidence interval, 1.13; 0.95-1.35). However, the majority of studies showed a high risk of specific forms of bias. These biases can be excluded by applying a new user design. It ascertains that adverse events occurring early in therapy are recorded. After restricting the meta-analysis to three studies with a new user design, the association of PIM use and mortality was statistically significant (risk ratio; 95% confidence interval, 1.59; 1.45-1.75). Only one study focused on cardiovascular events and found no statistically significant association. However, the study was not conducted with a new user design.

CONCLUSION

In studies with adequate methods (new user design), PIM use, defined by Beers criteria or the HEDIS-DAE list, was associated with a 1.6-fold increased mortality in older adults. Physicians should therefore avoid prescribing PIM for older adults whenever feasible. Further new user design studies are required for cardiovascular outcomes and to compare the predictive value of different PIM criteria for mortality.

Potential drug-drug and drug-disease interactions in well-functioning community-dwelling older adults

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

There are few studies examining both drug-drug and drug-disease interactions in older adults. Therefore, the objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of potential drug-drug and drug-disease interactions and associated factors in community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 3055 adults aged 70-79 without mobility limitations at their baseline visit in the Health Aging and Body Composition Study conducted in the communities of Pittsburgh PA and Memphis TN, USA. The outcome factors were potential drug-drug and drug-disease interactions as per the application of explicit criteria drawn from a number of sources to self-reported prescription and non-prescription medication use.

RESULTS

Over one-third of participants had at least one type of interaction. Approximately one quarter (25·1%) had evidence of had one or more drug-drug interactions. Nearly 10·7% of the participants had a drug-drug interaction that involved a non-prescription medication. % The most common drug-drug interaction was non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) affecting antihypertensives. Additionally, 16·0% had a potential drug-disease interaction with 3·7% participants having one involving non-prescription medications. The most common drug-disease interaction was aspirin/NSAID use in those with history of peptic ulcer disease without gastroprotection. Over one-third (34·0%) had at least one type of drug interaction. Each prescription medication increased the odds of having at least one type of drug interaction by 35-40% [drug-drug interaction adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1·35, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1·27-1·42; drug-disease interaction AOR = 1·30; CI = 1·21-1·40; and both AOR = 1·45; CI = 1·34-1·57]. A prior hospitalization increased the odds of having at least one type of drug interaction by 49-84% compared with those not hospitalized (drug-drug interaction AOR = 1·49, 95% CI = 1·11-2·01; drug-disease interaction AOR = 1·69, CI = 1·15-2·49; and both AOR = 1·84, CI = 1·20-2·84).

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

Drug interactions are common among community-dwelling older adults and are associated with the number of medications and hospitalization in the previous year. Longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the impact of drug interactions on health-related outcomes.

Relationship of Number of Medications to Functional Status, Health, and Quality of Life for the Frail Home-Based Older Adult

Number of medications and its relationship to functional status, health, and quality of life in 1,099 frail home-based older adults were examined. Using a general linear model, the number of medications was significant to cognition (P = .004; β = 0.16), instrumental activities of daily living ( P < .0001; β = 0.13), and health (P = .0001; odds ratio = 0.92, 95% confidence interval = 0.83 to 0.96). But increased age (P < .0001; β = −.12) and male gender (P < .0001; β = −1.9), inversely associated with cognition, point to the emergence of a high-risk group who have a greater need for occupational therapy intervention, specifically medication management.

Mortality, hospitalisation, institutionalisation in community-dwelling oldest old: The impact of medication

BACKGROUND

High drug use and associated adverse outcomes are common in older adults. This study investigates association of medication use with mortality, hospitalisation, and institutionalisation in a cohort of community-dwelling oldest old (aged 80 and over).

METHODS

Baseline data included socio-demographic, clinical, and functional characteristics, and prescribed medications. Medications were coded by the Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical classification. Survival analysis was performed at 18 months after inclusion using Kaplan-Meier, and multivariate analysis with Cox regression to control for covariates.

RESULTS

Patients' (n=503) mean age was 84.4 years (range 80-102), and 61.2% was female. The median medication use was 5 (0-16). The mortality, hospitalisation, and institutionalisation rate were 8.9%, 31.0%, and 6.4% respectively. The mortality and hospitalisation group had a higher level of multimorbidity and weaker functional profile. Adjusted multivariate models showed an 11% increased hospitalisation rate for every additional medication taken. No association was found between high medication use and mortality, nor with institutionalisation. A higher association for mortality was observed among verapamil/diltiazem users, hospitalisation was higher among users of verapamil/diltiazem, loop diuretics and respiratory agents. Institutionalisation was higher among benzodiazepines users.

CONCLUSION

In the community-dwelling oldest old (aged 80 and over), high medication was clearly associated with hospitalisation, independent of multimorbidity. The association with mortality was clear in univariate, but not in multivariate analysis. No association with institutionalisation was found. The appropriateness of the high medication use should be further studied in relation to mortality, hospitalisation, and institutionalisation for this specific age group.

The Report-AGE project: a permanent epidemiological observatory to identify clinical and biological markers of health outcomes in elderly hospitalized patients in Italy

BACKGROUND

Italy is expected to experience the largest growth in persons ≥65 years (>20% by 2020). This demographic shift allows for geriatric research on predictive clinical and biological markers of outcomes related to frailty, re-hospitalization and mortality.

AIMS

To describe rationale and methods of the Report-AGE study project of acute care patients in Italian National Research Center on Aging (INRCA) research hospitals.

METHODS

Report-AGE study is a large observational study on health conditions and outcomes of hospitalized elderly patients (≥65 years). The primary objective of the study is to create a high-level data resource of demographics, comprehensive geriatric assessments, clinical and diagnostic information, as well as biological and molecular markers in all older patients admitted to INRCA Hospitals. Assessments in physical and nutritional parameters, co-morbid health conditions, and associations with frailty parameters are ongoing in older hospitalized adults following an acute event. Study collection began in September 2011.

RESULTS

Up to date, there are 3479 patients ≥65 years (mean age: 85 ± 7years) with 1543 men and 1936 women enrolled. Data have been recorded regarding functional and clinical parameters before, during hospital admission and at discharge. Data collection for primary outcome analyses related to re-hospitalization and mortality is estimated for September 2016.

DISCUSSION

This study aims at collecting precise clinical data, comprehensive geriatric assessment, risk factors, and biological data from acute care patients. Data will also be used to identify mechanisms underlying frailty in this specific population.

CONCLUSION

This study provides a descriptive epidemiological collection of the health conditions of older in-patients.

Potentially Inappropriate Medication and Health Care Outcomes: An Instrumental Variable Approach

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effects of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use on health care outcomes in elderly individuals using an instrumental variable (IV) approach.

DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING

Representative claim data from the universal health insurance program in Taiwan from 2007 to 2010.

STUDY DESIGN

We employed a panel study design to examine the relationship between PIM and hospitalization. We applied both the naive generalized estimating equation (GEE) model, which controlled for the observed patient and hospital characteristics, and the two-stage residual inclusion (2SRI) GEE model, which further accounted for the unobserved confounding factors. The PIM prescription rate of the physician most frequently visited by each patient was used as the IV.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

The naive GEE models indicated that patient PIM use was associated with a higher likelihood of hospitalization (odds ratio [OR], 1.399; 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.363-1.435). Using the physician PIM prescribing rate as an IV, we identified a stronger significant association between PIM and hospitalization (OR, 1.990; 95 percent CI, 1.647-2.403).

CONCLUSIONS

PIM use is associated with increased hospitalization in elderly individuals. Adjusting for unobserved confounders is needed to obtain unbiased estimates of the relationship between PIM and health care outcomes.

Drug burden index and beers criteria: impact on functional outcomes in older people living in self-care retirement villages

The objectives of this study were to determine whether Drug Burden Index (DBI), a measure of individuals' exposure to anticholinergic and sedative drugs, and Beers criteria, an explicit measure of potentially inappropriate drug use, are associated with function in older adults living in low-level care facilities; and to compare DBI with Beers criteria as a predictor of function in older people. The study population consisted of 115 residents living in low-level care facilities in Sydney, Australia. Data on demographics, drugs, and comorbidities were collected. Outcomes included objective measures of physical function Short Performance Physical Battery (SPPB) and grip strength. In total, 50 (44%) participants were exposed to DBI drugs, 51 (44%) participants received at least 1 Beers criteria drug, and 30 (26%) were exposed to both. After adjusting for confounders, for every unit increase in DBI, the SPPB score decreased by 1.3 (P = .04). DBI was not associated with weaker grip strength. Beers criteria were not associated with any of the outcomes. In older adults living in self-care retirement villages, DBI was associated with impairments in physical functioning. Exposure to Beers criteria drugs was common; however, Beers criteria did not predict functional outcomes in this population of older adults.

Racial differences in anticholinergic use among community-dwelling elders

OBJECTIVE

Few studies have examined racial differences in potentially inappropriate medication use. The objective of this study was to examine racial disparities in using prescription and/or nonprescription anticholinergics, a type of potentially inappropriate medication, over time.

DESIGN

Longitudinal.

SETTING

Data from the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study (years 1, 5, and 10).

PARTICIPANTS

Three thousand fifty-five community-dwelling older adults, both blacks and whites, at year 1.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Highly anticholinergic medication use per the 2012 American Geriatrics Society Updated Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults.

RESULTS

Blacks represented 41.4% of the participants at year 1. At year 1, 13.4% of blacks used an anticholinergic medication compared with 17.8% of whites, and this difference persisted over the ensuing 10-year period. Diphenhydramine was the most common anticholinergic medication reported at baseline and year 5, and meclizine at year 10, for both races. Controlling for demographics, health status, and access to care factors, blacks were 24% to 45% less likely to use any anticholinergics compared with whites over the years considered (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The use of prescription and/or nonprescription anticholinergic medications was less common in older blacks than whites over a 10-year period, and the difference was unexplained by demographics, health status, and access to care.

Conceptualizing and measuring potentially inappropriate drug therapy

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

Elderly people are the principal consumers of prescription drugs. The more the medication used by the patient, the greater the likelihood there is of the patient being subjected to potentially inappropriate drug therapy (PIDT). PIDT has been measured in the literature with both implicit and explicit tools. The purpose of this review was to assess the use of tools to detect PIDT in various studies and to determine which terms are used to refer to PIDT in practice.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted according to the following steps: the first was identification. In this step, studies were selected from different combinations of the descriptors 'aged', 'elderly', 'inappropriate prescribing' and 'drug utilization' in three different languages, using the Embase, Medline, Scielo, Scopus and Web of Science databases. Second, the papers that satisfied the inclusion criteria for data extraction were carefully examined by three evaluators to determine the tools used and terms that referred to PIDT.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

From the combinations of keywords, 8610 articles were found. At the end of the selection process, 119 of the articles complied with the specified criteria. The degree of agreement among evaluators was moderate for the study titles (κ1  = 0·479) and substantial for abstracts (κ2  = 0·647). With respect to the PIDT evaluation criteria used by the studies, 27·7% used two criteria. Of the 27 evaluation criteria identified, the Beers criteria were used by 82·3% of the studies. More than 50 different terms to identify PIDT were found in the literature.

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

This review is the first study to conceptualize and discuss terms that refer to PIDT. At present, there is no consensus regarding terms used to refer to PIDT, with over 50 different terms currently in use. This review shows an increase in the number of articles aimed at evaluating PIDT using implicit and explicit tools.

Epidemiology of drug-disease interactions in older veteran nursing home residents

OBJECTIVES

To describe the prevalence of and factors associated with drug-disease interactions (DDIs) in older nursing home residents according to the American Geriatrics Society 2012 Beers Criteria.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional.

SETTING

Fifteen Veterans Affairs Community Living Centers.

PARTICIPANTS

Individuals aged 65 and older with a diagnosis of dementia or cognitive impairment, a history of falls or hip fracture, heart failure (HF), a history of peptic ulcer disease (PUD), or Stage IV or V chronic kidney disease (CKD).

MEASUREMENTS

Medications that could exacerbate the above conditions (DDIs).

RESULTS

Three hundred sixty-one of 696 (51.9%) eligible residents had one or more DDIs. None involved residents with a history of PUD, one involved a resident with CKD, and four occurred in residents with HF. Of 540 residents with dementia or cognitive impairment, 50.7% took a drug that could exacerbate these conditions; the most commonly involved medications were antipsychotics (35.4%) and benzodiazepines (14.4%). Of 267 with a history of falls or hip fracture, 67.8% received an interacting medication, with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (33.1%), antipsychotics (30.7%), and anticonvulsants (25.1%) being most commonly involved. Using separate multivariable logistic regression models, factors associated with DDIs in dementia or cognitive impairment and falls or fractures included age 85 and older (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.38, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.24-0.60 and aOR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.24-0.96, respectively), taking five to eight medications (aOR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.02-4.16 and aOR = 4.76, 95% CI = 1.68-13.5, respectively), taking nine or more medications (aOR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.03-3.85 and aOR = 3.68, 95% CI = 1.41-9.61, respectively), and being a long-stay resident (aOR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.04-3.12 and aOR = 2.35, 95% CI = 1.12-4.91, respectively).

CONCLUSION

DDIs were common in older nursing home residents with dementia or cognitive impairment or a history of falls or fractures.

Opti-Med: the effectiveness of optimised clinical medication reviews in older people with 'geriatric giants' in general practice; study protocol of a cluster randomised controlled trial

Background

Inappropriate drug use has been identified as one of the most important problems affecting the quality of care in older people. Inappropriate drug use may increase the risk of the occurrence of ‘geriatric giants’ such as immobility, instability, incontinence and cognitive impairment. There are indications that clinical medication reviews (CMR) can reduce inappropriate drug use. However, CMRs have not yet been implemented at a large scale in primary care. An innovative medication review program in primary care will be developed which tackles the most important obstacles for a large scale implementation of CMRs. The aim of this study is to assess whether this CMR program is (cost-) effective compared with usual general practice care for older patients with geriatric symptoms with regard to quality of life and geriatric symptoms.

Methods

A cluster randomised controlled trial will be performed in 20 Dutch general practices including 500 patients. Patients of 65 years and older are eligible if they newly present with pre-specified geriatric symptoms in general practice and chronic use of at least one prescribed drug. GP practices will be stratified by practice size and randomly allocated to control (n = 10) or intervention group (n = 10). The intervention consists of CMRs which will be facilitated and prepared by an expert team consisting of a GP and a pharmacist. Primary outcome measures are patient’s quality of life and the presence of self-reported geriatric symptoms during a follow-up period of 6 months. Secondary outcomes are costs of healthcare utilisation, feasibility, number of drug related problems, medication adherence and satisfaction with medication.

Discussion

This study is expected to add evidence on the (cost-) effectiveness of an optimally facilitated, prepared and structured CMR in comparison with usual care in older patients who present a geriatric symptom to their GP. The strength of this study is that it will be conducted in daily clinical practice. This improves the possibilities to implement the CMRs in the primary care setting on a large scale.

Trial registration

Netherlands Trial register: NTR4264

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2318-14-116) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A systematic review of prescribing criteria to evaluate appropriateness of medications in frail older people

This study systematically reviews the published literature regarding inappropriate prescribing in frail individuals aged at least 65 years. Twenty-five of 466 identified studies met the inclusion criteria. All papers measured some surrogate indicators of frailty, such as performance-based tests, cognitive function and functional dependency. Beers criteria were used in 20 studies (74%) to evaluate inappropriate medication use and 36% (9/25) studies used more than one criterion. The prevalence of inappropriate medications ranged widely from 11 to 92%. Only a few studies reported the relationship between potentially inappropriate medication use and surrogate measures of frailty. These diverse findings indicate the need for a standardized measure for assessing appropriateness of medication in frail older individuals. Prescribing tools should address both medication and patient-related factors such as life expectancy and functional status to minimize inappropriate prescribing in frail individuals.

Potentially inappropriate medication related to weakness in older acute medical patients

BACKGROUND

The use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) is common in the older population. Inappropriate medications as well as polypharmacy expose older people to a greater risk of adverse drug reactions and may result in hospitalizations.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the prevalence of PIMs among acutely hospitalized patients aged ≥65 years in an acute medical unit, and to investigate the relationship between use of PIMs and weakness.

SETTING

This longitudinal observational study was undertaken in the Acute Medical Unit, Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

METHOD

Patients aged ≥65 years admitted to the acute medical unit during the period October to December 2011 were included. Patients were interviewed at admission and at a follow-up visit 30 days after discharge. Data included information about medications, social status, functional status, cognitive status, handgrip strength, health-related quality of life, visual acuity, days of hospitalization, and comorbidities, and was prospectively collected. Polypharmacy was defined as regular use of 5 or more drugs. The Charlson Comorbidity Index was used to categorize comorbidities.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

The prevalence of PIMs and the association with PIMs and functional status handgrip strength, HRQOL, comorbidities, social demographic data and vision.

RESULTS

Seventy-one patients (55 % men) with a median age of 78.7 years participated. The median number of medications was eight per person. Eighty percent were exposed to polypharmacy. PIMs were used by 85 % of patients, and PIMs were associated with low functional status (p = 0.032), low handgrip strength (p = 0.006), and reduced health-related quality of life (p = 0.005), but not comorbidities (p = 0.63), age (p = 0.60), sex (p = 0.53), education (p = 0.94), cognition (p = 0.10), pain (p = 0.46), or visual acuity (p = 0.55).

CONCLUSIONS

Use of PIMs was very common among older people admitted to an acute medical unit. The use of PIMs is associated with low functional status, low handgrip strength, and reduced health-related quality of life.

Potentially inappropriate medications in community-dwelling older adults

Potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use is a significant worldwide public health problem. Community-dwelling older adults are susceptible to the negative outcomes associated with the use of PIMs. A database search (January 1991-June 2013) produced 19 prospective correlational and 10 intervention studies. The current state of the science reveals that conceptual clarity is lacking regarding the use of PIMs. The prevalence of PIM use is well documented in an abundance of descriptive studies. However, researchers have not examined an intervention's effects on health outcomes in community-dwelling older adults. Although independent older adults can acquire PIMs outside of a provider, current interventions aim to change the behavior of the prescribing physician and pharmacist. Nurses need to collaborate with other disciplines in PIM use research. Priority needs are to design interventions that reduce the use of PIMs and negative health outcomes.

The quality of quality measures: HEDIS® quality measures for medication management in the elderly and outcomes associated with new exposure

BACKGROUND

Clinical validation studies of the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) measures of inappropriate prescribing in the elderly are limited.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to examine associations of new exposure to high-risk medication in the elderly (HRME) and drug-disease interaction (Rx-DIS) with mortality, hospital admission, and emergency care.

METHODS

A retrospective database study was conducted examining new use of HRME and Rx-DIS in fiscal year 2006 (Oct 2005-Sep 2006; FY06), with index date being the date of first HRME/Rx-DIS exposure, or first day of FY07 if no HRME/Rx-DIS exposure. Outcomes were assessed 1 year after the index date. The participants were veterans who were ≥65 years old in FY06 and received Veterans Health Administration (VA) care in FY05-06. A history of falls/hip fracture, chronic renal failure, and/or dementia per diagnosis codes defined the Rx-DIS subsample. The variables included a number of new unique HRME drug exposures and new unique Rx-DIS drug exposure (0, 1, >1) in FY06, and outcomes (i.e., 1-year mortality, hospital admission, and emergency care) up to 1 year after exposure. Descriptive statistics summarized variables for the overall HRME cohort and the Rx-DIS subset. Multivariable statistical analyses using generalized estimating equations (GEE) models with a logit link accounted for nesting of patients within facilities. For these latter analyses, we controlled for demographic characteristics, chronic disease states, and indicators of disease burden the previous year (e.g., number of prescriptions, emergency/hospital care).

RESULTS

Among the 1,807,404 veterans who met inclusion criteria, 5.2 % had new HRME exposure. Of the 256,388 in the Rx-DIS cohort, 3.6 % had new Rx-DIS exposure. Multivariable analyses found that HRME was significantly associated with mortality [1: adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.62, 95 % CI 1.56-1.68; >1: AOR = 1.80, 95 % CI 1.45-2.23], hospital admission (1: AOR = 2.31, 95 % CI 2.22-2.40; >1: AOR = 3.44, 95 % CI 3.06-3.87), and emergency care (1: AOR = 2.59, 95 % CI 2.49-2.70; >1: AOR = 4.18, 95 % CI 3.71-4.71). Rx-DIS exposure was significantly associated with mortality (1: AOR = 1.60, 95 % CI 1.51-1.71; >1: AOR = 2.00, 95 % CI 1.38-2.91), hospital admission for one exposure (1: AOR = 1.12, 95 % CI 1.03-1.27; >1: AOR = 1.18, 95 % CI 0.71-1.95), and emergency care for two or more exposures (1: AOR = 1.06, 95 % CI 0.97-1.15; >1: AOR = 2.0, 95 % CI 1.35-3.10).

CONCLUSIONS

Analyses support the link between HRME/Rx-DIS exposure and clinically significant outcomes in older veterans. Now is the time to begin incorporating input from both patients who receive these medications and providers who prescribe to develop approaches to reduce exposure to these agents.

Explicit criteria for potentially inappropriate medications to reduce the risk of adverse drug reactions in elderly people: from Beers to STOPP/START criteria

Balanced and safe prescribing is difficult to achieve in frail older adults with multiple comorbid diseases. For this reason, great efforts have been made in the search for interventions to improve efficacy, safety and appropriateness of prescriptions in this vulnerable population. Among these interventions, the avoidance of medications that are considered to be inappropriate, i.e. potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs), has been considered a valuable treatment option. The aim of the present review was to summarize evidence about the use of explicit criteria for PIMs to reduce the risk of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in older people. A PIM is a drug in which the risk of an adverse event outweighs its clinical benefit, particularly when there is evidence in favour of a safer or more effective alternative therapy for the same condition. Explicit criteria have been developed to identify PIMs, and among these, the Beers criteria have been the most frequently applied until recently. However, evidence suggests that such criteria can not easily be applied in European countries: several drugs listed in the 2003 Beers criteria were rarely prescribed or were not available in Europe and 2003 Beers-listed PIMs were not associated with ADRs in some studies. In the past few years, START/STOPP criteria have been developed and applied in several different studies and populations showing a greater ability to predict ADRs with respect to Beers criteria and to prevent potentially inappropriate prescribing. In 2012, Beers criteria have been updated using an evidence-based approach and future studies will investigate the impact of these and other criteria coming from ongoing studies on clinical outcomes relevant to geriatric populations.

Potentially inappropriate drug use among older persons in Finland: application of a new national categorization

PURPOSE

The Finnish Medicines Agency published a new consensus categorization for potentially inappropriate drug (PID) use among persons aged 75 years and older (A = suitable, B = limited evidence, C = suitable for use under certain conditions only, D = inappropriate) in 2010. We investigated factors associated with use of one or more Category D drugs.

METHOD

Cross-sectional analyses were conducted using baseline data from the Geriatric Multidisciplinary Strategy for the Good Care of the Elderly (GeMS) Study collected in Kuopio, Finland, in 2004. From a random sample of 1000 persons aged 75 years and older, 781 persons provided consent to participate. Logistic regression was used to compute unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CIs) for factors associated with PID use.

RESULTS

PIDs were used by 30 % (n = 234) of all participants on a regular or as-needed basis. Among the 764 persons (98 %) who used prescription or non-prescription drugs, PID use was associated with the number of drugs in use (adjusted OR 1.20; 95 % CI 1.13-1.28) and moderate self-rated health compared to good self-rated health (adjusted OR 1.74; 95 % CI 1.19-2.55). PID use was associated with poor maximum walking speed (adjusted OR 1.64; 95 % CI 1.10-2.45), poor Timed Up and Go (TUG) test scores (adjusted OR 1.66; 95 % CI 1.11-2.47), impaired instrumental activities of daily living (adjusted OR 1.50; 95 % CI 1.06-2.12) and Mini Mental State Examination scores <18 (adjusted OR 2.27; 95 % CI 1.41-3.65).

CONCLUSION

PID use was highly prevalent and associated with impaired functional outcomes. This highlights the importance of clinicians conducting regular reviews of drug therapy.

Polypharmacy and the role of physical medicine and rehabilitation

Polypharmacy and inappropriate prescribing practices lead to higher rates of mortality and morbidity, particularly in vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and those with complex medical conditions. Physical medicine and physiatrists face particular challenges given the array of symptoms treated across a spectrum of conditions. This clinical review focuses on polypharmacy and the associated issue of potentially inappropriate prescribing. The article begins with a review of polypharmacy along with relevant aspects of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in the elderly. The adverse effects and potential hazards of selected medications commonly initiated and managed by rehabilitation specialists are then discussed with specific attention to pain medications, neurostimulants, antipsychotics, antidepressants, antispasmodics, sleep medications, and antiepileptics. Of particular concern is the notion that an adverse effect of one medication can mimic an indication for another and lead to a prescribing cascade and further adverse medication events. Appropriate prescribing practices mandate an accurate, current medication list, yet errors and inaccuracies often plague such lists. The evidence to support explicit (medications to avoid) and implicit (how to evaluate) criteria is presented along with the role of physicians and patients in prescribing medications. A brief discussion of "medication debridement" or de-prescribing strategies follows. In the last section, we draw on the essence of physiatry as a team-based endeavor to discuss the potential benefits of collaboration. In working to optimize medication prescribing, efforts should be made to collaborate not only with pharmacists and other medical specialties but with members of inpatient rehabilitation teams as well.

Patient Characteristics Associated with Polypharmacy and Inappropriate Prescribing of Medications among Older Adults with Cancer

OBJECTIVES: To identify patient characteristics associated with polypharmacy and inappropriate medication (PIM) use among older patients with newly diagnosed cancer. DESIGN: Cross-Sectional Study. SETTING: Ambulatory oncology clinics at an academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS: 117 patients aged ≥ 65 years with newly diagnosed histologically confirmed stage I-IV cancer were enrolled between April 2008 and September 2009. MEASUREMENTS: Medication review, included patient self-report and medical records. Polypharmacy was defined as the concurrent use of ≥ five medications, (Yes/No). PIM use was defined as use of ≥ one medication included in the 2003 update of Beers Criteria, (Yes/No). RESULTS: The prevalence of polypharmacy and PIM use were 80% and 41%, respectively. Three independent correlates of medication use were identified. An increase in comorbidity count by one, ECOG-PS score by one, and PIM use by one, was associated with an increase in medication use by 0.48 (P=0.0002), 0.79 (P=0.01) and 1.22 (P=0.006), respectively. Two independent correlates of PIM use were identified. The odds of using PIMs decreased by 10% for one unit increase in Body Mass Index [Odds Ratio (OR) 0.90, 95% CI = (0.84, 0.97)], and increased by 18% for each increase in medication count by one [OR 1.18, 95% CI = (1.04, 1.34)]. CONCLUSION: There was a high prevalence of polypharmacy and PIM use in older patients with newly diagnosed cancer. Given the co-occurrence of polypharmacy with poor performance status and multi-morbidity, multi-dimensional interventions are needed in the geriatric-oncology population to improve health and cancer outcomes.

Diabetes mellitus as a modulator of functional impairment and decline in Alzheimer's disease. The Real.FR cohort

AIMS

To determine whether diabetes mellitus influences functional status in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

METHODS

We studied 608 community-dwelling patients with Alzheimer's disease from a prospective multicenter cohort. Diabetes was assessed at baseline. Functional status was assessed twice yearly with the Activities of Daily Living scale. Each patient had a baseline functional disability if their Activities of Daily Living score was < 6. Progression of functional disability was defined by a decreased Activities of Daily Living score over 4 years of follow-up visits.

RESULTS

At baseline, diabetes was present in 63 participants (10.4%) and, compared with those without diabetes, was associated with functional impairment [age- and sex-adjusted OR = 2.73 (95% CI 1.41-5.28)]. After controlling for confounders, the association remained significant [OR = 2.04 (95% CI 1.02-4.11)]. Follow-up demonstrated a significant interaction between duration of Alzheimer's disease and diabetes, which was associated with progression of functional impairment in patients who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease for less than 1 year [age- and sex-adjusted hazard ratio = 1.52 (95% CI 1.01-2.30), P = 0.048], but not in those who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease for more than 1 year [age- and sex-adjusted hazard ratio = 0.78 (95% CI 0.47-1.28), P = 0.32]. Abnormal one-leg balance, polymedication and obesity seem to be important factors explaining the association between diabetes and functional status.

CONCLUSIONS

At baseline, the presence of diabetes significantly increases the risk of functional disability in patients with Alzheimer's disease; our longitudinal data confirm that in patients with a recent diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (but not in those who have had Alzheimer's disease for longer than 1 year), diabetes continues to worsen functional status.

[Medicinal prescriptions in geriatrics: overuse, misuse, underuse. Qualitative analysis from the prescriptions of 200 patients admitted in an acute care geriatric unit]

PURPOSE

In the elderly three modalities of suboptimal drug prescriptions are known: overuse, misuse, underuse.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This prospective observational study was conducted between September 2008 and March 2009. The prescriptions of 200 patients aged over 75 years admitted in the acute care geriatric unit at the teaching hospital of Brest (France) have been qualitatively analyzed to assess the prevalence of the three types of suboptimal prescription.

RESULTS

A strong prevalence of overuse (77% of the patients), underuse (64.5%) and at minor degree of misuse (47.5%) were evidenced. Overuse and misuse were more frequent in polypathogical and polymedicated patients living in nursing home. Underuse was more prevalent in polypathological patients living at home. No significant relation was found between suboptimal prescriptions, age, gender or cognitive status.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates the strong prevalence of overuse, misuse and underuse prescriptions in hospitalized elderly patient and analyses the most frequently implicated drugs and the different factors predisposing to these suboptimal prescriptions. This way of analysis of prescriptions could be a pertinent method to improve drug prescription in the elderly.

Medication use and functional status decline in older adults: a narrative review

BACKGROUND

Functional status is the cornerstone of geriatric care and serves as an indicator of general well-being. A decline in function can increase health care use, worsen quality of life, threaten independence, and increase the risk of mortality. One of several risk factors for decline in functional status is medication use.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to critically review published articles that have examined the relationship between medication use and functional status decline in the elderly.

METHODS

The MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for English-language articles published from January 1986 to June 2011. Search terms included aged, humans, drug utilization, polypharmacy, inappropriate prescribing, anticholinergics, psychotropics, antihypertensives, drug burden index, functional status, function change or decline, activities of daily living, gait, mobility limitation, and disability. A manual search of the reference lists of the identified articles and the authors' article files, book chapters, and recent reviews was conducted to retrieve additional publications. Only articles that used rigorous observational or interventional designs were included. Cross-sectional studies and case series were excluded from this review.

RESULTS

Nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Five studies addressed the impact of suboptimal prescribing on function, 3 of which found an increased risk of worse function in community-dwelling subjects receiving polypharmacy. Three of the 4 studies that assessed benzodiazepine use and functional status decline found a statistically significant association. One cohort study identified no relationship between antidepressant use and functional status, whereas a randomized trial found that amitriptyline, but not desipramine or paroxetine, impaired certain measures of gait. Two studies found that increasing anticholinergic burden was associated with worse functional status. In a study of hospitalized rehabilitation patients, users of hypnotics/anxiolytics (eg, phenobarbital, zolpidem) had lower relative Functional Independence Measure motor gains than nonusers. Use of multiple central nervous system (CNS) drugs (using different definitions) was linked to greater declines in self-reported mobility and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) scores in 2 community-based studies. Another study of nursing home patients did not report a significant decrease in SPPB scores in those taking multiple CNS drugs. Finally, 2 studies found mixed effects between antihypertensive use and functional status in the elderly.

CONCLUSIONS

Benzodiazepines and anticholinergics have been consistently associated with impairments in functional status in the elderly. The relationships between suboptimal prescribing, antidepressants, and antihypertensives and functional status decline were mixed. Further research using established measures and methods is needed to better describe the impact of medication use on functional status in older adults.

Physician perspective on propoxyphene as a potentially inappropriate medication in Tennessee

Medicare Part D data from the Quality Improvement Organization's 9th Statement of Work drug safety indicator project under the direction of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services define the potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) list for Tennessee. These data reveal propoxyphene as the main contributor to the state's PIM rate. In Tennessee, PIM and drug-drug interaction (DDI) rates indicate propoxyphene as the most prescribed medication among elderly patients despite decades of attention for potentially adverse effects. During this project, physicians agreed that PIM rates are too high, but disagreed in approach preference, i.e., administrative limits and bans versus a proactive educational approach. Physicians were interested in participating in quality improvement by using individual pharmacy data to influence prescribing patterns. Exploring alternatives in research and survey, a potential and reachable point of intervention was found, a prescribing paradigm proposed by researchers to improve outcomes by reducing adverse effects in minimizing PIMs and DDIs.

Association of claims-based quality of care measures with outcomes among community-dwelling vulnerable elders

BACKGROUND

Few studies examine the link between measured process of care and outcome.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the relationship of claims-based assessment of process of care to subsequent function and survival.

RESEARCH DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study using claims from 1999 to assess performance on 41 quality indicators (QIs) from the Assessing Care of Vulnerable Elders (ACOVE) measurement set on functional decline and death in 2000.

SETTING

Community-dwelling individuals.

SUBJECTS

All persons ≥75 years enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid in 19 California counties in 1998 and 1999 who received In Home Supportive Services.

MEASURES

Quality of care index, activities of daily living, and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) need indices, mortality.

RESULTS

Total 21,310 persons were eligible for a mean of 7.1 QIs; and received 46% of recommended care. The ADL index increased from 8.1 to 11.6 between baseline and follow-up. The IADL index increased from 13.6 to 14.1. Fifteen percent of the cohort died in 2000. After accounting for number of QIs triggered, baseline function and other covariates, better quality was associated with better function at follow-up. Ten percent better quality was associated at follow-up with 0.21 lower ADL need score [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.25-0.17], 0.022 lower IADL need score (95% CI, 0.032-0.013), and lower odds of death (0.91; 95% CI, 0.89 to 0.93).

CONCLUSIONS

Routinely collected data implementing ACOVE measures for community vulnerable elders generate quality scores that are directly related to patient functional and survival outcomes. These findings suggest that population-based assessment of care is feasible for vulnerable older persons.

Association of anticholinergic drugs with hospitalization and mortality among older cardiovascular patients: A prospective study

BACKGROUND

Many potentially inappropriate drugs prescribed to older people have anticholinergic properties as adverse effects and are therefore potentially harmful. These effects typically include constipation, dry mouth, blurred vision, dizziness and slowing of urination. It has been shown that drugs with anticholinergic properties (DAPs) are associated with cognitive decline and dementia, may contribute to events such as falls, delirium and impulsive behaviour, are associated with self-reported adverse effects and physical impairment, and may even be associated with mortality. However, studies of the prognostic implications of DAPs remain scarce.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact of DAPs on hospitalization and mortality in older patients with stable cardiovascular disease (CVD).

METHODS

This was a prospective study with a mean follow-up of 3.3 years involving two study groups: users (n = 295) and non-users (n = 105) of DAPs. The participants were 400 community-dwelling older people (aged 75-90 years) with stable CVD participating in a secondary prevention study of CVD (DEBATE) in Helsinki, Finland. The use of DAPs was estimated using definitions from the previous scientific literature. The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was used to estimate the burden of co-morbidity and the Mini-Mental State Examination test was used to assess cognitive function. The risks in the two study groups for hospital visits, number of days spent in hospital care and mortality were measured from 2000 to the end of 2003.

RESULTS

The unadjusted follow-up mortality was 20.7% and 9.5% among the users and non-users of DAPs, respectively (p = 0.010). However, the use of DAPs was not a significant predictor of mortality in multivariate analysis after adjustment for age, sex and CCI score (hazard ratio 1.57; 95% CI 0.78, 3.15). The mean ± SD number of hospital days per person-year was higher in the DAP user group (14.9 ± 32.5) than in the non-user group (5.2 ± 12.3) [p < 0.001]. In a bootstrap-type analysis of covariance adjusted for age, sex and CCI score, the use of DAPs predicted the number of days spent in hospital (p = 0.011).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of DAPs in older patients with stable CVD was associated with an increased number of hospital days but not with mortality.

Quality of drug prescribing in older patients: is there a problem and can we improve it?

Older patients are at high risk of suboptimal prescribing (overuse, underuse and misuse of drugs), which can lead to serious adverse drug reactions (ADR). About one in four patients admitted to hospital are prescribed at least one inappropriate medication and up to 20% of all inpatient deaths are attributed to potentially preventable ADR. Lists of drugs to avoid (unnecessary or where risks outweigh benefits) and drugs not to be omitted (strong indications if there are no contraindications) can assist in identifying suboptimal prescribing although, to date, no trials have established the ability of such screening, by itself, to improve prescribing quality. Remedial strategies proven to be effective in randomized trials include detailed appraisal of medication lists by multidisciplinary teams, which involve geriatricians and close liaison with specialist clinical pharmacists. A multifaceted quality improvement strategy is proposed that includes an aspirational target of no more than five different drugs be regularly prescribed to vulnerable older patients. Achieving this target involves prioritizing drug selection on the basis of strength of indication which may run counter to current disease-specific clinical guideline recommendations based on trials that have excluded most older patients. Such a strategy is worthy of further evaluation in a multicentre randomized trial.

Epidemiology of potentially inappropriate medication use in elderly patients in Japanese acute care hospitals

PURPOSE

The elderly receive many medications which may have adverse effects. Little evidence is available about the epidemiology of potentially inappropriate medications being prescribed to the elderly in Japan as defined by the Beers criteria, or whether or not these medications result in harm when used in this population.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort study of patients aged ≥65 years who were admitted to three acute care hospitals in Japan. Trained research nurses followed up patients from randomly selected wards and collected data about their medications and all potential adverse drug events (ADEs). Two independent reviewers evaluated all the data. The use of potentially inappropriate medications and their effects on patients were identified using the updated Beers criteria.

RESULTS

A total of 2155 elderly patients were eligible; 56.1% received at least one drug listed in the Beers criteria (BL drug). The rates of BL drug prescriptions were 103.8 per 100 admissions and 53.6 [DOSAGE ERROR CORRECTED] per 1000 patient-days, and the incidence rate of ADEs related to BL drugs was 1.7 per 100 BL drug prescriptions. Among patients aged ≥65 years, relatively younger patients (p = 0.0002) and those with less complications (p = 0.04) were likely to be prescribed BL drugs.

CONCLUSIONS

Although BL drugs were frequently prescribed to elderly Japanese inpatients, the incidence of related ADEs appeared infrequent. These data suggest that re-evaluation of the appropriateness of the Beers criteria is needed before they are used in Japan and other nations to assess quality or for decision support.

Is suboptimal prescribing a risk factor for poor health outcomes in community-dwelling elders? The ICARe Dicomano study

PURPOSE

Mostly because of comorbidity and drugs consumption, older persons are often exposed to an increased risk of sub-optimal prescribing (SP). At present, few studies investigated the association between SP and long-term health outcomes. We examined the relation between SP and the risk of mortality and hospitalization in Italian older community-dwellers.

METHODS

Older (65+ years) community-dwelling residents of a small town in Tuscany were enrolled in a longitudinal study. SP was defined as polypharmacy (use of 5+ drugs), prescription of inappropriate drugs (ID) according to Beers' criteria, and of potentially interacting drugs (PID), evaluated in 1995 and 1999. These three forms of SP were entered as time-dependent exposures into multivariable Cox regression analysis models, whose outcomes were mortality and hospitalizations through 2003.

RESULTS

Of 1022 participants (mean age 73.0 +/- 6.8, 57% women), 220 were evaluated in 1995, 234 in 1999 and 568 in both waves. In univariate analysis, mortality was two-fold higher in participants with polypharmacy (73.4/1000 person/years, 95% CI 58.2-92.4 vs. 34.1, 95% CI 29.7-39.2; p < 0.001) or PID (72.7/1000 person/years, 95% CI 46.3-113.9 vs. 38.0, 95% CI 33.5-43.1; p < 0.001), whereas it was unrelated to the presence of ID. Hospitalization rates were independent of any form of SP. In multivariable models, polypharmacy, ID, and PID were no longer associated with an increased risk of death, and ID predicted a slightly increased risk of hospitalizations (HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.0-1.06, p = 0.048).

CONCLUSIONS

In this cohort, SP was not associated with an excess risk of poor health outcomes.

Use of potentially inappropriate medications in the care of frail older people

Achieving safe prescribing in frail older people is difficult owing to age-related physiological changes, multiple comorbidities, multiple medication use and a higher risk of adverse drug events (ADEs). Among people aged 65 years and over, 7–25% are frail. While frailty is recognized as a major public health problem, there is a lack of consensus on the definition of frailty and validated tools that can be used to assess the effects of frailty on pharmacological response in old age. Frail individuals are at higher risk of adverse clinical outcomes, such as hospitalization, falls, disability and mortality. There is also a lack of consensus on the definition of inappropriate medications. Inappropriate medication use is a major contributor to the risk of ADEs in frail older people. Therefore, development and implementation of tools to optimize appropriate use of medications is necessary for the medical care of frail older people.