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Wehran T, Eidam A, Czock D, Kopitz J, Plaschke K, Mattern M, Haefeli WE, Bauer JM, Seidling HM. Development and Pilot Testing of an Algorithm-Based Approach to Anticholinergic Deprescribing in Older Patients. Drugs Aging 2024; 41:153-164. [PMID: 38319492 PMCID: PMC10869417 DOI: 10.1007/s40266-023-01089-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adverse anticholinergic drug reactions are common, yet evidence on how to reduce exposure to anticholinergic activity and reliably measure successful deprescribing is still scant. This study proposes an algorithm-based approach to evaluate and reduce anticholinergic load, and reports the results of its pilot testing. METHODS Based on published evidence and expert opinion, a list of 85 anticholinergic drugs and 21 algorithms for reducing anticholinergic load, e.g., by recommending alternative drugs with lower risk, were developed. An accompanying test battery was assembled by focusing on instruments that sensitively reflect anticholinergic load and may be sensitive to depict changes (Neuropsychological Assessment Battery to measure memory and attention, validated assessments for constipation, urinary symptoms, and xerostomia, as well as blood biomarkers). The approach was pilot-tested in a geriatric rehabilitation unit, with clinician feedback as the primary outcome and characterization of anticholinergic symptoms as the secondary outcome. The intervention was delivered by a pharmacist and a clinical pharmacologist who used the algorithms to generate personalized recommendation letters. RESULTS We included a total of 20 patients, 13 with anticholinergic drugs and 7 without. Recommendations were made for 22 drugs in nine patients from the intervention group, of which seven letters (78%) were considered helpful and 8/22 (36%) anticholinergic drugs were discontinued, reducing anticholinergic load in seven patients. In contrast to patients without drug change, memory assessment in patients with reduced anticholinergic load improved significantly after 2 weeks (6 ± 3 vs. -1 ± 6 points). CONCLUSIONS The approach was well received by the participating physicians and might support standardized anticholinergic deprescribing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Wehran
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, Heidelberg University, Medical Faculty Heidelberg / Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Cooperation Unit Clinical Pharmacy, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Center for Geriatric Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Agaplesion Bethanien Hospital, Rohrbacher Straße 149, 69126, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Annette Eidam
- Center for Geriatric Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Agaplesion Bethanien Hospital, Rohrbacher Straße 149, 69126, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - David Czock
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, Heidelberg University, Medical Faculty Heidelberg / Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Kopitz
- Institute of Pathology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 224, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Konstanze Plaschke
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 420, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Margarete Mattern
- Department of General Psychiatry, Heidelberg University Hospital, Voßstraße 4, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Walter Emil Haefeli
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, Heidelberg University, Medical Faculty Heidelberg / Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Cooperation Unit Clinical Pharmacy, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Martin Bauer
- Center for Geriatric Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Agaplesion Bethanien Hospital, Rohrbacher Straße 149, 69126, Heidelberg, Germany
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Bergheimer Straße 20, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hanna Marita Seidling
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacoepidemiology, Heidelberg University, Medical Faculty Heidelberg / Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Cooperation Unit Clinical Pharmacy, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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Nishtala PS, Pickering JW, Bergler U, Mangin D, Hilmer SN, Jamieson H. Post Hoc Analyses of a Randomized Controlled Trial for the Effect of Pharmacist Deprescribing Intervention on the Anticholinergic Burden in Frail Community-Dwelling Older Adults. J Am Med Dir Assoc 2023:S1525-8610(23)00478-4. [PMID: 37339754 DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2023.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Anticholinergic burden is detrimental to cognitive health. Multiple studies found that a high anticholinergic burden is associated with an increased risk for dementia, changes to the brain structure, function, and cognitive decline. We performed a post hoc analysis of a randomized controlled deprescribing trial. We compared the effect of the intervention on baseline anticholinergic burden across the treatment and control groups and the time of recruitment before and after a lockdown due to the COVID pandemic with subgroup analyses by baseline frailty index. DESIGN Randomized controlled trial. SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS We analyzed data from a de-prescribing trial of older adults (>65 years) previously conducted in New Zealand that was focused on reducing the Drug Burden Index (DBI). METHODS We used the anticholinergic cognitive burden (ACB) to quantify the impact of the intervention on reducing the anticholinergic burden. Participants not taking anticholinergics at the start of the trial were excluded. The primary outcome for this subgroup analysis was a change in ACB, measured with the ĝHedges statistic describing the difference in standard deviation units of this change between intervention and control. For this analysis, the trial participants were stratified into low, medium, and high frailty and timing into prior- and post-lockdown (public health measures for COVID-19). RESULTS Among the 295 participants in this analysis, the median (IQR) age was 79 (74, 85), and 67% were women. For the primary outcome ĝHedges = -0.04 (95% CI -0.26 to 0.19) with a -0.23 mean reduction in ACB in the intervention arm and -0.19 in the control arm. Before lockdown ĝHedges = -0.38 (95% CI -0.84 to 0.04) and post-lockdown ĝHedges = 0.07 (95% CI -0.19 to 0.33). The mean change in ACB for each of the frailty strata was as follows: low frailty (-0.02; 95% CI -0.65 to 0.18); medium frailty (0.05; 95% CI -0.28 to 0.38); high frailty (0.08; 95% CI -0.40 to 0.56). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The study did not provide evidence for the effect of pharmacist deprescribing intervention on reducing the anticholinergic burden. However, this post hoc analysis examined the impact of COVID on the effectiveness of the intervention, and further research in this area may be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prasad S Nishtala
- Centre for Therapeutic Innovation, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Bath, United Kingdom.
| | - John W Pickering
- Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Ulrich Bergler
- Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Dee Mangin
- University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand; McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sarah N Hilmer
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Northern Clinical School, Kolling Institute, University of Sydney and Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, Australia
| | - Hamish Jamieson
- Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand; Burwood Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand
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Masnoon N, Lo S, Hilmer S. A stewardship program to facilitate anticholinergic and sedative medication deprescribing using the drug burden index in electronic medical records. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2023; 89:687-698. [PMID: 36038522 PMCID: PMC10953400 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.15517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS The drug burden index (DBI) measures a person's total exposure to anticholinergic and sedative medications, which are commonly associated with harm. Through incorporating the DBI in electronic medical records (eMR) and implementing a DBI stewardship program, we aimed to determine (i) uptake of the steward's recommendations to deprescribe anticholinergic and/or sedative drugs by the medical team and (ii) whether accepted recommendations were actioned in hospital or recommended for follow-up by the General Practitioner post-discharge. METHODS A single-arm, non-randomised feasibility study was performed at an Australian tertiary referral metropolitan hospital. The stewardship pharmacist reviewed eMRs of patients aged ≥75 years with DBI scores > 0, during admission. The steward identified and discussed potential opportunities to deprescribe anticholinergic and/or sedative medications with the medical registrars. RESULTS Amongst 256 patients reviewed, the steward made 170 recommendations for 117 patients. Registrars agreed with 141 recommendations (82.9%) for 95 patients (81.2%), and actioned 115 deprescribing recommendations for 80 patients, most commonly for antidepressants and opioids. The 115 actioned recommendations resulted in 125 changes, with 44 changes to the inpatient drug chart and 81 additional changes recommended post-discharge in the discharge summary. CONCLUSION Opportunities exist for deprescribing anticholinergic and sedative medications in older inpatients and a DBI stewardship program may help implement these. It is important to capture different outcomes of deprescribing interventions, including in-hospital medication changes, recommendations in the Discharge Summary, sustainability of deprescribing and clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nashwa Masnoon
- Kolling Institute, Faculty of Medicine and HealthUniversity of SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Sarita Lo
- Kolling Institute, Faculty of Medicine and HealthUniversity of SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Sarah Hilmer
- Kolling Institute, Faculty of Medicine and HealthUniversity of SydneySydneyNSWAustralia
- Departments of Clinical Pharmacology and Aged CareRoyal North Shore HospitalSydneyNSWAustralia
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